500 Children HIV positive in a Single Pakistani City Larkana

Time dot com: Nearly 500 children in Larkana Pakistani city have tested positive for HIV the Associated Press reported (494 children and 113 adults, according to NPR).

The tests revealed that the parents of the HIV-positive children were HIV negative”—raising questions about how so many children became infected.

By May 14, after screening more than 10,000 people, the number of diagnosed individuals had grown to more than 400, according to the country’s National AIDS Control Programme. As testing continued, that number only grew.

Many of the children who originally tested positive for HIV had been treated in a Larkana clinic run by Dr. Muzaffar Ghangharo, NPR reports. After demands from parents, Ghangharo was eventually tested for HIV. The results came back positive.

Possible causes included clinics run by quacks, use of a single syringe for multiple patients, and use of the same drip set for multiple patients.

61 unsafe clinics have been “sealed” and 29 more health care centers warned in the wake of the outbreak.

Keto diet not for heart patients

Low-carb, high-fat ketogenic diets are crossing over from weight-loss fad to medical practice.

Recent research has pointed to improved fatigue and depression symptoms for multiple sclerosis patients on the diet, and improvements in nonmovement symptoms for patients with Parkinson disease.

But a ketogenic diet raises LDL cholesterol levels, and research has also linked the diet to atrial fibrillation risk. J. Nicholas Brenton, MD, from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, the investigator on the multiple sclerosis study, told that the diet may not be appropriate for patients with cardiovascular disease. [MEDSCAPE]

Healthcare News Monitor

Pharma News

What Modi 2.0 could mean for the Indian pharma industry?

Business Today-E Kumar Sharma

The Rs 1,20,000 crore plus Indian pharma industry has been through a churn in the past five years. Over the last year, it has finally seen double-digit growth, after having suffered periods of single-digit growth and even de-growth, post demonetisation and implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It is today growing at around 11 per cent per annum as compared to a high of around 15 per cent about five years ago. The first term of the Modi government saw a series of measures being taken by the government, which looked positive and beneficial to the end consumer. It pushed the case for lower prices of medicines (including anti-cancer drugs) and medical devices and greater emphasis on the sale of generic drugs.

Dilip Shangvis comeback plan: Sun Pharma to invest more on patented medicines

Moneycontrol

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries is planning to invest more in patented medicines, using the search and development model, according to a Bloomberg report. The company can acquire early-stage developments and generate revenue from patented medicines, the article quoted founder Dilip Shangvi as saying. The pharma major has so far spent about $1 billion on its patented-medicine programme, Shanghvi estimates. He added that money made from sale of generics in the US will be used to redevelop the company. Pharmaceutical companies in India only produce generic drugs, and do not develop their own medicines.

Forcepoint chips in its cybersecurity expertise to spur Omega Healthcare compliance requirements

Pharmabiz

Forcepoint, a cybersecurity service provider, has now chipped in its expertise to support Omega Healthcare Management. The latter was scouting for a fool-proof solution to handle value-driven assignments for hospitals, payers, pharma companies, analytics and technology across large US-based companies. The15-year-old Bengaluru-based Omega Healthcare Management Services deals with a wide range of patient data, including personally identifiable information (PII). Securing patient data is essential to protect the company from legal risk, in addition to safeguarding its reputation and preventing revenue loss. While performing work-related activities on the internet, employees’ tendency was to browse websites deemed risky by IT, including public domain e-mail and cloud storage websites. Sometimes, they mistakenly visit corrupted websites containing malicious code. Hence, restricting users from accessing unfavourable web traffic, thus ensuring the security and privacy of patient data, was the top priority.

IME Medical Electrospinning launches MediSpin XL, a cutting-edge high-volume electrospinning production platform for medical devices

Pharmabiz- Waalre

Dutch MedTech company IME Medical Electrospinning announced the launch of its newly developed revolutionary MediSpin XL platform for large-scale industrial manufacturing of reproducible and scalable fiber-based scaffolds for Class I, II and III medical devices. The launch of the platform marks a global breakthrough in the controlled large-scale production of well-defined scaffolds for implants and membranes using fibers ranging from nanometer up to micrometer scale. Applying specific polymers, IME’s advanced equipment creates fiber-based medical device solutions that mimic the natural human extracellular matrix in nanometer and micrometer format for implants and membranes in the human body. Human cells recognize this artificial matrix (scaffold) as the body’s own facilitating the repair of the damaged tissue for heart valves, blood vessels, nerves, tendons, skin and bone etc.

Abbotts TRILUMINATE study shows treatment with its minimally invasive device reduces tricuspid heart valve leaks

Pharmabiz

Abbott announced positive late-breaking data from its TRILUMINATE study of the companys minimally invasive tricuspid valve repair system. Results at 30 days demonstrated that the investigational device is associated with a reduction of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) symptoms – caused by a leaky tricuspid heart valve – suggesting a possible treatment option for people suffering from this difficult-to-manage structural heart disease. Abbotts transcatheter tricuspid valve repair (TTVR) system builds on the continued advances of the companys proven clip-based MitraClip technology, which treats people with leaky mitral valves. Results from the TRILUMINATE study were presented in a late-breaking trial session at EuroPCR, the annual meeting of the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI).

I Holland introduces online training for pharmaceutical & nutraceutical professionals

Pharmabiz

The introduction of technology enabled learning is helping companies improve the skills of their staff and is seeing huge growth in recent years. This increase is being seen through all industries including those in pharmaceutical and nutraceutical manufacturing. To meet this growing demand I Holland has launched an online learning platform. The e-learning programme offers professionals comprehensive and flexible courses in a wide variety of disciplines. I Holland, leaders in the manufacture of tablet tooling, has put together a series of courses which combines over 70 years of experience. Alex Bunting, I Holland marketing manager explains: “We have a long history and extensive experience in sharing our knowledge with our partners in solid dosage manufacturing through our face to face technical seminars held all over the world. We believe in supporting those in manufacturing who are looking to improve their technical skills and understanding of tablet compression tooling.

Zydus receives US FDA marketing approval for generic Nexium

Pharmabiz

Zydus Cadila has received the final approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to market esomeprazole magnesium delayed-release capsules USP (Nexium), 25 mg and 40 mg. It will be manufactured at the group’s formulations manufacturing facility at SEZ, Ahmedabad. Esomeprazole belongs to the group of medicines termed as proton pump inhibitors. Esomeprazole reduces the amount of acid secreted by the stomach. It is used to treat the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, to reduce the risk of stomach ulcers in some people taking pain medicines, to treat patients with stomach infection (Helicobacter pylori) along with certain antibiotics and long-term treatment of conditions where stomach makes too much acid. The group now has 266 approvals and has so far filed over 350 ANDAs since the commencement of the filing process in FY 2003-04.

Inovio Pharma begins phase 1 trial of DNA candidate vaccine, NO-4500 to prevent infection from Lassa virus

Pharmabiz

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc, together with CEPI, announced it has dosed subjects in a phase 1, first-in-human clinical trial to evaluate INO-4500, its DNA candidate vaccine to prevent infection from the Lassa virus. Inovio plans to enroll approximately 60 volunteers in this placebo controlled, blinded, dose escalation study evaluating INO-4500 for safety, tolerability and immune responses. This Inovio trial represents the first Lassa candidate vaccine to enter the clinic. This Inovio-sponsored trial, as well as its INO-4500 programme, is fully funded through a global partnership with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). Melanie Saville, director of vaccine development at CEPI, said, "This is an important development in our work to accelerate the development of vaccines against emerging infectious diseases. With marked increases in the number of cases documented in Nigeria over the last two years and outbreaks occurring annually, Lassa fever remains a serious public health threat across West Africa. We welcome Inovios work and progress which could pave the way to reducing the great suffering caused by this disease."

Healthcare News

Tamil Nadu Medical Council asks doctors to refrain from online publicity

The Times of India- Pushpa Narayan

Doctors’ consultation fee has gone up by at least 300 and patients are forced to pay money for needless procedures and therapy because medical practitioners are paying a premium to have their names on top of the charts in web directories, Tamil Nadu Medical Council (president Dr K Senthil has said. These online directories, which were earlier listing doctors on their web pages, are now entering into contracts so that their names and profiles can be “enhanced” online. For instance, a doctor in the city was asked to pay 36,000 to get his profile listed prominently. The website charges the doctor 300 when a health seeker uses the call or book button. The doctor is charged for calls received, missed and appointments booked, regardless of whether the patient visits. When the principal amount is exhausted, doctors will have to recharge.

Where’s report on ‘negligence’ by hospital: Panel

The Times of India

The National Commission of Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has sent a second reminder to the district magistrate seeking a report on the complaint of a Noida-based couple about the birth of a stillborn child due to alleged negligence by two doctors of a private hospital. TOI had earlier reported that the NCPCR has directed the Gautam Budh Nagar district magistrate to look into the complaint, take necessary action and submit a factual report to the commission within 20 days. The complainant, Ankit Garg, had alleged that their first child was stillborn due to a delay of nearly three hours in the caesarean procedure on March 9 despite the last check-up conducted a day before the delivery showing “everything normal”. The surgery took place at Cloud Nine hospital in Sector 51.

Doctor hangs herself, three seniors booked

Business Standard- PTI

A 23-year-old doctor belonging to a tribal community allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at the hostel of the government-run Nair hospital here, police said Thursday. Payal Salman Tadvi, the deceased, was under depression as three of her senior colleagues allegedly used to harass her with castiest remarks, police said. She allegedly hanged herself Wednesday night. Tadvi was the student of a post-graduate course in gynecology. The accused doctors also used to defame Payal on WhatsApp groups of students, a police official said. Agripada police have registered a case against three doctors and probe is on.

Mutton bone removed from man’s throat

The New Indian Express

For the first time in the world, a foreign body was removed from the food pipe using laser which is used to break kidney stones at Care Hospitals here. After a 30-year-old man came to the hospital complaining of difficulty in swallowing, it was found that a mutton bone piece was stuck in the upper part of the food pipe. Dr N Vishnu Swaroop Reddy, head of Department of ENT, said,” The ENT team along with gastroenterology team attempted to remove the bone piece using an endoscope, but the rugged bone piece was lying horizontally in the food pipe impinging onto the wall of the food pipe. Forcible removal might have caused tear in the wall of the food pipe leading to life-threatening complications. Hence, it was decided to withhold the procedure and to intervene next day using Holmium-Yag Laser. Our plan was to break the mutton bone into two pieces using the laser, which would facilitate the safer removal of foreign body.”

Doctors forget cotton pad inside womans private parts at Kalwa hospital

Mid-day- Anamika Gharat

In a botched delivery, doctors at civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa allegedly forgot a piece of cotton inside a womans vagina. She came back eight days later complaining of pain, however, the doctors allegedly said it was normal and sent her home without a check-up. Nisha Rajbhar, 20, underwent a normal delivery at the hospital on April 25. As she was bleeding during too much childbirth, the doctors used cotton and sanitary napkins to stop it. However, they allegedly forgot to completely remove the cotton and sanitary napkin before stitching up the vagina, said husband Suraj Rajbhar.