Dangerous drug interactions more common in women and the elderly

A new study led by researchers at Indiana University has found that women and older adults who use multiple prescription drugs are significantly more likely to be prescribed pills whose combination produces dangerous side effects. The analysis, conducted in the Brazilian health care system and recently published in the journal npj Digital Medicine, revealed a 60% increased risk for adverse drug reaction in women compared to men -- and a 90% increased risk in cases of medicines whose interaction is known to produce dangerous reactions. In older people, one in every four people prescribed multiple medicines over age 55 received drugs with an interaction -- reaching one in every three for ages 70 to 79.

The drugs identified as most commonly prescribed in dangerous combinations were standard medications -- such as omeprazole, fluoxetine, and ibuprofen as well as some less common drugs, such as erythromycin.

Healthcare News Monitor

NMC Bill cleared after govt allowed more state representations, reached out to regional parties

ET Bureau, Nidhi Sharma

New Delhi: Three amendments and backchannel talks with parties have seen the Centre break the impasse on the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was in the eye of a controversy as doctors protested outside and the Opposition inside Parliament. The Centre has now increased the number of members in the NMC to 22 from 14, giving more representation to the states in the body which could replace the scam-tainted Medical Commission of India. “This was the only bill that the government took the Opposition’s suggestion,” Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’ Brien said. “The health minister agreed that if the number of members to be nominated by the states is increased, the states get a better representation in two years rather than four years.”

Health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan told ET the regional parties had their reservation about the representation in the NMC. “So, we addressed the representation with the amendments,” the minister said. Three amendments were introduced— two in Section 4 of the bill. Now, Section 4 (4) (b) says, “The following persons shall be appointed as part-time members of the Commission, namely… (b) ten members to be appointed on rotational basis from amongst the nominees of the states and union territories, under clauses (c) and (d) of sub-section (2) of Section 11, in the Medical Advisory Council for a term of two years in such manner as may be prescribed”. Section 4 (4) (c) reads, “nine members to be appointed from amongst the nominees of the states and union territories, under clause (e) of sub-section (2) of Section 11, in the Medical Advisory Council for a term of two years in such manner as may be prescribed.”

Private hospitals overcharging patients, selling medicines at inflated prices, finds govt agency

Financial Express- Samrat Sharma

Many private hospitals are involved in profiteering by overcharging for consumable items. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has found that there is a significant difference between the procurement price of scheduled and non-scheduled formulations, medical devices and consumables as compared to the price billed to the patients, said D V Sadananda Gowda, Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers, in Lok Sabha. He added that the action has been initiated against the manufacturers not complying to the notified ceiling price according to the provisions of the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) Act. Complaints related to overpricing have shot up over three times in just two years. Unaffordable hospital bills and inflated medicine prices have made it difficult for a common man to undergo treatment in a private hospital. The government had received 241 complaints in 2018-19 related to issues in the purchase of medicine and overpricing. The number of such complaints in 2016-17 was 129. The number of complaints related to overpricing alone was 25 in 2016-17, which shot up to 80 in 2018-19, according to the data provided in Lok Sabha.

First ever kidney transplant operations conducted in Himachal Pradesh

ET Healthworld- Anand Bodh

SHIMLA: First ever kidney transplant operations were successfully done at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMCH), Shimla, on Monday by a team of doctors under the supervision of doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi. First kidney transplant operation started at 9am and was completed at 11.30am while second operation stared at 12 noon and completed at around 2pm.Though the IGMCH has its own team of doctors to conduct operations but expert’s team from AIIMS New Delhi was called for guidance during maiden operation. As a new operation theater was not ready, so the operation theater of Cardio Thoracic Vascular Surgery (CTVS) was prepared for the transplant. To ensure that kidney transplant operations are conducted within the state, selected doctors and paramedical staff were given training at AIIMS New Delhi and PGI Chandigarh. To start the facility of kidney transplant, Himachal Pradesh government had made a provision of Rs 4 crore of which Rs 2.91 crore was to be spent on machinery while over Rs one crore was to be spent on the creation of other required facilities. State government had allotted Rs 3.48 lakh for training of doctors from IGMCH, Shimla.

Dengue, malaria cases may spike soon in Gujarat

ET Healthworld

GANDHINAGAR: Now that the rains have begun to subside, one should brace for the onslaught of vector borne diseases. Dengue and malaria are major concerns for the states health department. In July there was a 21% spike in dengue cases, and in case of falciparum it has been a worrying 44% spike. Though there have been 1,250 suspected cases of dengue between July 15 to July 21, only 131 could be confirmed by government laboratories. A total of 715 malaria cases and 45 falciparum cases have been confirmed during the same period. But the state health department is concerned of the number of suspected cases that has come to its various PHCs. In all, 82,212 in case of suspected malaria cases were reported at various government hospitals in the state. Among the four municipal corporations some 13,909 suspected malaria cases were reported within Ahmedabad city between July 15 and July 21. In the same period some 6,657 suspected malaria cases were reported in Surat city, 3,072 cases in Vadodara city and 1,930 suspected malaria cases in Rajkot city. "Many of the patients who come to local PHCs in rural areas and urban health centres in corporation limits do not return with their blood reports for confirmation or follow ups. Only those cases that are confirmed by government labs are entered as lab-confirmed cases in government records," says a senior health official in Gandhinagar. The official adds that proper networking of private clinics in towns and villages and pathological laboratories will be required to keep tab of these diseases as they are now notified by the state.

Diphtheria herd immunity down, take vaccines: Doctors

ET Healthworld

CHENNAI: Paediatricians and public health experts are recommending diphtheria booster vaccines to children at fifth, 10th and 15th years, besides to all pregnant women, as herd immunity for the bacterial infection is coming down due to poor vaccine coverage. Up to 90% of the global diphtheria cases are now being reported from India, including all southern states. On Friday, Dr Balaji Veeraraghavan from Christian Medical College (CMC) in Vellore said his institution, which is the WHO referral laboratory, received eight culture positive samples and nearly 34 suspected cases of diphtheria through Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital from Erode, Coimbatore and Tirupur districts. Culture confirmed cases have also been reported from Karnataka, he said. “There were cases in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. The number of cases we are seeing now is just a tip of the iceberg,” he said. Surveys by CMC, Vellore and several private organisations show that while more parents give the pentavalent and DTP vaccines till the child turns two, many skip the booster vaccines at the age of five. “Most parents realise their mistake only after their child tests positive for the bacterial infection,” Dr Veeraraghavan said.