Page 5 - Medicines

Faced with forex crunch, Pakistan looks up to Iran for life-saving drugs

Banking on what Pakistan described as longstanding and time-tested close fraternal relations with Iran, cash-strapped Pakistan is looking forward to Tehran's help to tide over the unprecedented medicine shortage, including that of life-saving drugs. For more than six months now, Pakistan has faced a severe shortage of life-saving drugs amid a crippled healthcare system due to a lack of Forex reserves, which in turn, has hampered the country's capacity to import both the medicines and the raw material used for local drug manufacturing. It was decided at a meeting between Pakistan's Minister for National Health Services (NHS) Dr Nadeem Jan and Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghaddam here on Tuesday that Pakistan's drug regulatory authority will work out a comprehensive strategy on a fast-track basis with its Iranian counterpart to ensure uninterrupted supply of life-saving drugs. Pakistan's leading daily Dawn reported that the Iranian Ambassador had called on the Pakistani

Cough syrups to painkillers: Bar codes on 11 habit-forming drugs soon

According to the health ministry, this is being done to stop the misuse and illicit trade of these drugs

Our culture of service helping India gain prominence in post-Covid era: Min

India's culture of service is helping it gain prominence in the new world order created in the post-COVID era, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday, citing the supply of medicines and vaccines by the Centre during the pandemic. When international airlines were shut (during COVID outbreak), six to seven planes landed in India daily only to procure medicines. We did not just provide medicines but also made the whole world aware of our culture, Mandaviya said after inaugurating the Amrita Patel Centre of Public Health at Bhaikaka University at Karamsad in Anand district. Had India desired, the minister said, it could have then sold medicines to other countries at a much higher price. But India continued to supply medicines at pre-pandemic price levels, he said. When the world was stockpiling vaccines three to four times their requirement, India made vaccines to meet the domestic need and also supply to more than 100 countries at a lower rate under the Vaccine Maitri

G20 ministers call for resilient, equitable access to affordable medicines

The G20 Health Ministers meeting saw consensus on building more resilient, equitable and inclusive health systems with equitable access to safe, quality-assured and affordable vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, and other medical countermeasures, especially in low and middle income countries and small island developing states. The outcome document comprises 25 paragraphs, which were unanimously agreed to by all G20 delegations, except for paragraph 22, which pertains to the chair's summary, and was focused on the geopolitical situation in Ukraine. According to the outcome document released after the meet in Gandhinagar on August 19, consensus was built on setting up research and development and manufacturing network for vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, along with setting up a platform for making open-source and inter-operable digital solutions readily available. The health ministers also look forward to a successful outcome of the ongoing negotiations in the ...

Roche Pharma India launches customer experience centre in Chennai

Roche Pharma India launched an industry-first customer experience center to spur collaboration with healthcare professionals, researchers and educational institutions to shape the future of healthcare, the company said on Thursday. The center will offer immersive and interactive healthcare content, comprehensive insights into medical science and information about Roche's innovative, life-changing product portfolio and technologies that have redefined healthcare for over 125 years, the wholly owned subsidiary of the Basel-headquartered Roche Group, said. Doctors and other stakeholders will be able to visualise disease pathways, drug-action in the human body, and co-create better solutions leading to better patient outcomes by using the latest 4IR (Fourth Industrial Revolution) digital technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and AI, a release here said. "The Roche Experience Center reflects the company's mission to empower communities with scientific insights

Gujarat will be Mecca of traditional medicine: WHO director general

"I believe this is a very unique meeting, a summit on traditional medicine. And I believe that in a few years from now, Gujarat will be the Mecca of traditional medicine," Tedros said

Medical Council guidelines bar doctors from taking freebies from firms

Industry insiders feel this is a step towards implementing and codifying the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices

Dr Reddy's Lab launches generic diabetes medication in US market

Dr Reddy's Laboratories on Thursday said it has launched a generic diabetes medication in the US market. The drug major has launched Saxagliptin and Metformin Hydrochloride extended-release tablets in the US market, the Hyderabad-based company said in a statement. The company's product is a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Kombiglyze XR tablets, it added. Dr Reddy's Saxagliptin and Metformin Hydrochloride extended-release tablets are supplied in a strength of 2.5 mg/1000 mg in bottle count of 60 and strengths of 5 mg/500 mg and 5 mg/1000 mg each in bottle counts of 30, the company said.

84% people from northeast relocate for better medical facilities: Report

Most migrate due to a lack of availability of human resources and essential requirements such as hospital beds, physical infrastructure, drugs, and diagnostics

No child's play: How AI is helping medicine in assisted fertility

The technology helps doctors by studying massive amounts of data. It's useful but involves ethical concerns

Private equity investments in healthcare increase expenses: Study

The study was published in The BMJ. The study is regarded as the first systematic examination of trends in private equity ownership across the globe in the field of medicine

Chemists to take pholcodine cough medicines off shelves after WHO alert

DCGI issues advisory to doctors and patients after risks of anaphylactic reactions

Our duty to promote synergy between traditional, modern medicine: MoS Ayush

Telemedicine, artificial intelligence and big data analytics are among technological advancements revolutionising healthcare and they can also be integrated with traditional medicine, Union Minister Munjpara Mahendrabhai Kalubhai has said. Speaking at an event here on Wednesday, Kalubhai emphasised the importance of integrating traditional practices with advancements in modern medicine. "It is our duty to lead the way in promoting synergy between traditional and modern medicine with cutting-edge scientific research," he said. The minister of state (MoS) for Ayush also highlighted the role of technology, including telemedicine, artificial intelligence and big data analytics, in revolutionising healthcare. "From telemedicine to artificial intelligence and big data analytics, we have a wealth of tools at our disposal to improve diagnostics, treatment and patient outcomes," he said at the National Conference on 'Traditional and Alternative Medicine- Exploring New Horizons and ...

Lack of essential items, medicines leads to desperation in Manipur hills

The scarcity of essential items and medicines due to the ongoing civil conflict in Manipur has created an environment of desperation and vulnerability among the residents of the northeastern state. While the Kukis, in response to the Centre's call, have lifted a blockade along National Highway 2, which serves as the "lifeline" for those living in the Imphal valley, the Meiteis have steadfastly maintained their blockade, preventing any supply from reaching Churachandpur, the largest district in the state with a significant Kuki population. Churachandpur is home to around four lakh people. Another 10,000 displaced people are living in the relief camps set up in the district. The shortage of doctors, particularly surgeons, has reached critical levels. The consequences are dire as essential medical treatments, including dialysis, and medicines for cancer and anti-AIDS drugs remain out of reach for those in desperate need. "We really need doctors during this prevailing situation. We sti

Fire breaks out at Odisha govt's medicine godown in Bhubaneswar: Police

A major fire broke out in the Odisha State Medical Corporations (OSMC) godown at Mancheswar Industrial estate here reducing medicines and medical equipment worth lakhs of rupees to ashes, police said. However, there was no report of any injury as the fire broke out late on Sunday night. The fire was suspected to have been caused due to electrical short circuit, they said. Taking to Twitter, the Health and Family Welfare department said: "Accidental fire broke out at Mancheswar MARKFED Godown number 3 at late night on 9th July, 2023. Some OSMCL supplies were stored in this godown (PPE kits, sanitizers and empty cylinders). All goods are under insurance coverage. "The fire was controlled by prompt action of police and fire services. There were no injuries or casualties." Seven fire tenders and more than 50 fire personnel were engaged to douse the fire. The fire personnel had to break the wall to get access to the building in order to avoid the fire from spreading to nearby buildings,

Race to develop weight-loss pills has some drugmakers falling behind

Novo and Lilly's experimental obesity pills helped people lose about 15% of body weight, similar to weight-loss shots on the market already, according to findings presented

Instead of cough syrup testing, need to go for root-cause analysis: Bhaskar

Pharmaceutical exports from India have come under the scanner after sporadic incidents of contaminated or substandard medicines

Zero-tolerance against those who compromise quality of medicines: Mandaviya

The Indian pharma industry should strive to maintain the reputation of India as the 'Pharmacy of the World' which was established during the Covid-19 crisis, Union Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers and Health & Family Welfare, Mansukh Mandaviya said on Friday at the closing ceremony of IPA's 8th Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit.Day two of the summit witnessed industry leaders shedding light on industry advancements, continuous manufacturing, regulatory expectation, digital technologies in pharmaceutical manufacturing and learnings from other industries."The country could achieve this feat with the shared responsibility of the Government and pharma industry during the global crisis. The industry relentlessly worked to follow all instructions given by the Government, knowing the huge responsibility on them and made all the medicines required for treatment of Covid-19 available. They also supported the Government to produce the various vaccines", Mandviya said.The ...

A strong dose of reality: Households waste 70% medicines, shows survey

1.5% of drugs wasted in domestic market, say pharmacists; of this, 20% at chemist/wholesaler end, reveals survey

Pharmacists have finger on pulse of small towns as demand increases

The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) is another major reason for the growth in demand for medicines in smaller towns