Singapore to become first country to ban ads on sugary drinks

(CNN)Singapore is set to become the first country in the world to ban ads for unhealthy drinks with high sugar content in what it says is the latest move in its ongoing "war on diabetes." The ban, which will apply to "the least healthy" sugar-sweetened beverages, will cover all media platformsincluding print, broadcast and online, said Edwin Tong, Senior Minister of State for the city-states Ministry of Health. He told reporters at a press conference on Thursday that the decision was made after a "public consultation" in the form of a survey. Soft drinks, juices, yogurt drinks and instant coffee would all be affected by the new regulation, the ministry said in a press release. The ministry also says it will continue to gather consumer and industry feedback in the next few months, before announcing further details on its implementation next year.

In addition to an ad ban, the ministry announced that sugary drinks would also be required to display a color-coded, front-of-pack nutrition label to list nutritional quality and sugar content.

Healthcare News Monitor

New definition of med devices to include nebulisers, syringes

ETHealthworld/TNN-Sushmi Dey

New Delhi: The health ministry is set to notify a new definition of medical devices which will expand the span of regulation to cover all such products, including diagnostic equipment, nebulisers, syringes as well as stents and other implants. The notification, already approved by the ministry, is expected to be notified by the end of this week, official sources told TOI. "The new definition for medical devices will be aligned with that of the International Medical Device Regulators Forum (IMDRF) and one which is globally accepted," an official said. Once the new definition is notified, all medical devices will fall under the health ministrys regulatory purview and will have to undergo scrutiny by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) before entering the market. This means companies will have to seek approval from CDSCO for manufacture, import and distribution of any medical device. Besides, they will also have to report adverse events and carry out clinical trials for new products as per regulatory requirement. All medical devices manufactured or sold in the country will also be monitored for quality, safety and efficacy. At present, only 35 medical devices are notified as drugs in India, of which 23 are regulated and the rest will come under regulatory purview from next year, according to the ministrys earlier notification. The regulator has also prepared a roadmap for regulating these products after consultations with various international regulators under IMDRF and inter-ministerial consultation. "The idea is to have a roadmap for medical devices so that manufacturing of products can be promoted in the country. Approval, certification and registration from a central authority under the health ministry will help in strengthening the credibility of Made in India medical devices," the official said. The government is also working to bring a separate law to regulate medical devices. Besides, it is mulling an overarching pricing policy to cap trade margins of all medical devices.

15 new cases of HIV in Udham Singh Nagar, all drug addicts sharing syringes

The Times of India

A screening of drug addicts in Udham Singh Nagar has revealed that 15 of them recently contracted HIV by sharing syringes to inject drugs multiple times. According to health officials, the department is now planning to trace the family members of these people to test them and provide counselling. Notably, of the 1076 new cases of HIV in Uttarakhand this year, 85 are from Udham Singh Nagar alone. Also, Uttarakhand has 8.89% chances of Intravenous (IV) drug addicts getting HIV infection which experts say is among the highest in India. Talking to TOI, chief medical officer (CMO) of Udham Singh Nagar, Dr Shailja Bhatt, said that the local police and an NGO working with health department had raided some areas where the locals complained of seeing drug-peddlers and addicts.

Drug regulator steps up monitoring of ranitidine

The Economic Times- Teena Thacker

Indias drug regulatory authority has ordered lifting samples of heartburn drug ranitidine, after the US regulator red-flagged presence of a cancer-causing impurity in some products. The Drug Controller General of India has written to state drug controllers, asking them to draw samples from major manufacturers of ranitidine and send those to Central Drug Laboratory (CDL) in Kolkata to test for the impurity Nnitrosodimethylamine (NDMA). “You are requested to draw samples of ranitidine API (active pharmaceutical ingredient) from major manufacturers as well as fast-running product formulations of ranitidine and send it to CDL Kolkata for specific testing in respect of levels of NDMA, if any,” said the letter, a copy of which ET has seen.

AIIMS finally admits contribution of Japanese doctor in separation of craniopagus twins

ET Healthworld

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has finally accepted the significant contribution of renowned Japanese doctor- Dr Takizawa, who was called upon by institute administration to help assist doctors here for the separation of conjoined twins- Jagga and Baila, who were born with fused brain and skull, a condition which is called craniopagus twins. The twins got admitted at AIIMS on July 14, 2017 following which slew of mammoth head separation surgery started at AIIMS. The Union Health Ministry had sought a detailed report from AIIMS over the contribution of Japanese doctor post uncoupling of the craniopagus twins and two-year stay at AIIMS. A report which was accessed by ANI, stated: "The report highlights his (Dr Takizawa) work and is acknowledging of the work that he had done during the first surgery which was conducted on August 28, 2017. He was, however, not present during the second surgery where the final head separation of the twins was done." Dr Takizawa was called upon by AIIMS, after his renowned contribution in performing venous anastomosis, which only a few surgeons across the world can do.

Hyderabad: New method of dialysis to reduce time of treatment

ET Healthworld- Amrita Didyala

Hyderabad: Treatment-time for patients with chronic kidney ailments undergoing dialysis is likely to be cut short following the Centre’s directive to states to introduce peritoneal dialysis service in government hospitals. Currently, government hospitals in Telangana are employing the hemodialysis method, which requires the patient to undergo a four-hour long session three times a week. Such lengthy procedures have seen several patients lose out on time to fulfil their other commitments owing to treatment. Nearly 28,000 patients in the state suffer from chronic kidney diseases and are currently on dialysis with many more likely to develop chronic kidney ailments in the near future. Dialysis remains the second-best option for patients after kidney transplants, according to experts. Compared to hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis is an overnight procedure and also cuts out risk of contracting blood-related infections. More importantly, peritoneal dialysis can be performed at the patient’s home. The process also cuts down on infrastructure and technical manpower compared to hemodialysis, according to the government’s letter calling for proposals in this regard. “All states are requested to include peritoneal dialysis proposals under your respective National Health Mission (NHM) programme implementation plans,” says the letter received by the state health department. “Since this component is to be implemented from this year, it is kindly requested to orient and train the dialysis units set up and being managed under the NHM, in this regard,” the letter adds.