Icmr

India takes lead in global fight against tuberculosis, says ICMR

ICMR highlighted the need for affordable and scalable innovations in active case finding among asymptomatic individuals

ICMR should study air pollution, suggest ways to handle effects: Parl panel

In the report, the panel stated that the efforts initiated by ICMR to study the health implications of air pollution are taken note of

India most likely undercounting heat-related deaths: Ex-WHO chief scientist

India is "most likely" undercounting heat-related deaths due to a lack of robust data, but the government is now improving surveillance to minimise the impact of extreme conditions on health, former WHO chief scientist and health ministry advisor Soumya Swaminathan has said. In an interview with PTI on the sidelines of TERI's World Sustainable Development Summit, she also stressed the urgent need for better tracking, preparedness and policy interventions as the country braces for another extreme summer. Asked if India was undercounting heat-related deaths, the former director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) said, "Most likely. We do not really have a good record of every death in the country and so we have to make some estimations. We have to do some sort of calculations or modelling based on what is happening." But recently, there have been several scientific papers that have actually tracked what are called excess deaths, Swaminathan said. "When you look

Ayush-approved medicines exempt from extra safety trials in research: ICMR

With growing global interest in holistic and personalised medicine, it is observed that ethical and regulatory clarity is essential to ensure the credibility and efficacy of integrative approaches

Govt to spend Rs 3,200 crore on cancer centres in all district hospitals

DHR gets special enhancement of Rs 531 crore for first year of ICMR's five-year strategic plan

ICMR initiates process of vaccine development against avian influenza

The ICMR has initiated the process of development of an ingenious human vaccine candidate against highly-pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1). The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has invited expression of interest from the eligible organisations, companies, manufacturers for joint collaboration in research and development for development of human vaccine candidate against H5N1. The avian influenza H5N1, a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu, continues to pose a significant threat to animal and human health in India. Recent outbreaks in 2021, 2023 and 2024 have been reported in several states, primarily affecting poultry and wild birds, the expression of interest document said. These outbreaks have caused significant economic losses in the poultry industry and raised public health concerns due to the virus's zoonotic potential, it said. The document stated that avian influenza H5N1 virus poses a grave public health risk because of its high mortality rate and its potential t

Guillain-Barre Syndrome cases in Pune under investigation: DG ICMR

Samples of stool and blood of those infected are being tested at the NIV Pune lab, but yet to get any definite leads

Three out of every four animal bites in India due to dogs: Lancet study

Three in every four animal bites are due to dogs, with over 5,700 deaths in humans estimated to occur each year due to rabies in India, according to a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-study conducted a nationwide community-based survey from March, 2022 to August, 2023, covering 60 districts in 15 states. Over 78,800 households involving 3,37,808 individuals were interviewed about animal bites in the family, anti-rabies vaccination and deaths due to animal bite. Researchers, including those from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai, found that three in every four animal bites was a dog bite. Over 2,000 of those surveyed reported a history of animal bite -- 76.8 per cent of which (1,576) were dog bites. Further, over six per thousand people might be experiencing an animal bite, "translating into 9.1 million bites nationally", the authors said. "We estimated 5,

India's surgical infection rate higher than many countries: ICMR study

The Surgical Site Infections (SSIs) rate among three major hospitals in India was found to be higher than in many high-income countries, an ICMR study has revealed. The study was conducted in a cohort of 3,020 patients from three hospitals. SSIs are among the most prevalent healthcare-associated infections. Debridement surgery, carried out with either an amputation, open reduction internal fixation surgery (ORIF), or closed reduction internal fixation (CRIF) surgery, had the highest SSI rate of 54.2 per cent. SSIs cause significant morbidity, leading to excess health expenditures and increased length of hospital stay. There is a lack of data on post-discharge SSIs from low-and middle-income countries. In India, there exists no surveillance system of SSIs that covers the post-discharge period. "Therefore, we proposed a multicentric analysis to estimate the proportion and identify the risk factors associated with SSIs occurring during hospital stay and after discharge," the study .

10-month-old detected with HMPV, first case this season in Assam: Officials

A 10-month-old child has been detected with the human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infection, the first such case this season in Assam, officials said on Saturday. The child is undergoing treatment at Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) in Dibrugarh and is "stable" now, they said. AMCH Superintendent Dr Dhrubajyoti Bhuyan said the child was admitted to the state-run hospital with cold-related symptoms four days ago. The HMPV infection was confirmed yesterday after we got test results from Lahowal-based ICMR-RMRC, the hospital superintendent said. Bhuyan said that samples are sent to the Indian Council of Medical Research for tests in influenza and flu-related cases as a routine practice. "It was a routine test during which the HMPV infection was detected. The child is stable now. It is a common virus and there is nothing to worry about," he said. ICMR- Regional Medical Research Centre, NE, Lahowal (Dibrugarh) Senior Scientist Dr Biswajit Borkakoty said, "Since 2014, we have detec

ICMR proposes revised version of National Essential Diagnostics List

The ICMR has proposed a revised version of the National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL), which enumerates the minimum number of tests that should be available at various levels of healthcare facilities in the country. According to the revised draft, nine types of diagnostic tests, including those for diabetes, Malaria, TB, HIV and syphilis should be made available at the health centres in village-level health facilities. Ayushman Arogya Mandirs should have facilities for Hepatitis B tests available in addition to the nine diagnostics that are available at the village-level health centres. The revised draft list has been prepared incorporating inputs from relevant stakeholders and feedback from multiple consultation meetings. It builds upon the first list and provides recommendations for diagnostic tests across various levels of healthcare facilities, including village-level facilities, Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, primary health centre (PHCs), community health centres (CHCs), sub ...

ICMR sets up India's first diabetes biobank in Chennai for research

The country's first diabetes biobank, a repository of population-based biological samples aimed at supporting scientific research, has been established in Chennai by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF). The biobank set up at the MDRF, Chennai aims to gather, process, store and distribute biospecimens to assist scientific studies with the permission of the ICMR. The biobank will facilitate advanced research on the causes of diabetes, the variations of the Indian type of diabetes and related disorders, said Dr V Mohan, chairman of the MDRF and Dr Mohan's Diabetes Specialities Centre. The biobank has blood samples from two ICMR-funded studies -- the ICMR-?India Diabetes (ICMR-?INDIAB) study conducted in all states and Union territories in phases from 2008 to 2020 and the "Registry of people with diabetes in India at a young age at the onset", which was launched in 2006 and is still ongoing. A plethora of bl

ICMR study concluded Covid vaccine didn't increase death risk: Nadda to RS

An ICMR study has conclusively documented that Covid vaccination did not increase the risk of unexplained sudden death among young adults in India, instead lowering their odds, Union Health Minister J P Nadda told the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Past COVID-19 hospitalization, family history of sudden death and certain lifestyle behaviours increased the likelihood of unexplained sudden death, he said responding to a question. He said the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that the ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology conducted a study titled 'Factors associated with unexplained sudden deaths among adults aged 18-45 years in India' -- a 'multicentric matched case-control study' -- at 47 tertiary care hospitals in 19 states and Union Territories during May-August last year. The cases were apparently healthy individuals without any known co-morbidity, who suddenly (less than 24 hours of hospitalisation or seen apparently healthy 24 hours before death) died of ...

ICMR seeks 'out of the box' ideas from scientists to solve health problems

In an effort to encourage Indian scientists to come up with innovative ideas for finding solutions to difficult health problems, apex health research body ICMR has launched a new initiative The initiative-- First in the World Challenge -- aims to foster novel, out of the box, futuristic ideas, new knowledge generation, discovery or development of breakthrough health technologies (vaccines, drugs or therapeutics, diagnostics, interventions etc.) which has never been thought, tested or tried in the world till date. "Over the years the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) has encouraged researchers within and outside ICMR by providing funding support through various research schemes. To move ahead of the curve, ICMR is looking for innovative, out of the box ideas from researchers across the country," the call for proposals document said. "Inspired by Chandrayan 3 landing on the south pole of the moon, making India the first country to do so, the ICMR is launching a new initiative

Health Minister Nadda launches five DHR-ICMR research initiatives

Union Health Minister J P Nadda launched five Department of Health Research-Indian Council of Medical Research (DHR-ICMR) health research initiatives planned under the 100 days agenda here on Friday. One of the key initiatives launched is the 'First in the World' Challenge, inspired by the success of Chandrayaan-3, according to a statement. These initiatives aim to propel India to the forefront of global health research and innovation, aligning with the nation's vision of a Viksit Bharat. "These ground-breaking initiatives exemplify our commitment to a healthier and more self-reliant India. By fostering indigenous innovation and investing in advanced research, we are equipping our nation to tackle pressing health challenges effectively," Nadda said. Dr Rajiv Bahl, Secretary DHR and DG ICMR, said, "Initiatives like the 'First in the World' Challenge will empower our scientists and innovators to develop cutting-edge technologies that can benefit not just India but the entire world. W

ICMR predicts surge in cancer cases between 2022 and 2045 in BRICS nations

Cancer cases in India to surge in India, especially mouth cancer among men and breast cancer among women, reveals ICMR study on BRICS countries

How fried and processed foods are fuelling India's diabetes epidemic

Indian diets, traditionally rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, have shifted towards processed, fried, and sugar-laden foods, according to a recent government-backed study

Govt issues new advisory to states, UTs after first Mpox Clade 1b case

The advisory asks states and UTs to continue undertaking appropriate activities to make communities aware of the disease, its modes of spread, and the need for timely reporting and preventive measures

ICMR to advance 1st in-human trials for Zika, flu, blood cancer therapies

First-in-human trial is a type of clinical trial in which a new drug, procedure or treatment is tested in humans for the first time

ICMR to conduct first Chintan Shivir for sickle cell disease research

New Delhi [India], September 4 (ANI): The Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) is scheduled to organise the first brainstorming session on sickle cell disease research for two days.The top scientists and medical experts all over the country will participate in the Chintan Shivir to be held from September 5 to September 6, 2024.According to the sources, the purpose behind organising the brainstorming session is to identify the research, diagnosis and affordable treatment for sickle cell disease."We want to identify the research properties that can be taken up in sickle cell disease and existing scenarios with respect to the screening , the diagnosis, treatment, preventive measuresand awareness," said sources.During two days, panel discussion will have six different sessions, like patient perspectives understanding the patients living with SCD and their needs, strategic open brainstorming, screening methods & strategies, antenatal and newborn screening point of care tests, ..