Delhis air turns hazardous again, government issues health warnings

On Tuesday, the air quality index crossed 400, indicating a level of pollution that affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, according to government guidance.

NEW DELHI: Air quality in capital New Delhi plummeted to "severe" on Wednesday due to a drop in temperature and wind speed that trapped pollutants in the atmosphere, prompting health warnings from the government for the 12th time in two months.

On Tuesday, the air quality index crossed 400, indicating a level of pollution that affects healthy people and seriously impacts those with existing diseases, according to government guidance. ....read more

Healthcare News Monitor

Organised generic drugs chain Medkart Pharmacy plans national foray

Business Standard - Vinay Umarji

Riding on its organised generic drug store business model, Ahmedabad-based Medkart Pharmacy is looking at a national foray in the near future. While the company says it has been impacted to some extent by online pharmacies (e-pharmacies) in case of branded drugs, its largely generic model has so far been insulated. By adding over 250 stores in next three years, Medkart is looking to grow its turnover from Rs 20 crore currently to Rs 300 crore in the next three years. "Trade generic has seen a double digit growth in the last 12 months. While it is only on branded drugs that online pharmacies tend to be cheaper, it has not been so in generic. By providing branded generic drugs options, Medkart has saved around Rs 80 crore for consumers to date. In the next few years, we are looking at opening more stores in bigger and smaller cities," said Ankur Agarwal, founder, and director of Medkart Pharmacy Pvt. Ltd. According to Agarwal, Gujarats generic drug market is worth around Rs 300 crore and will reach Rs 800 crore in the next three years. "As the state has anumber of pharmaceutical companies and contract manufacturers for drugs, it enjoys around 30 per cent share in overall exports of generic drugs from India. As the awareness for generic drugs is rising, the adoption of generic medicines will increase and that will become the new norm. We expect the government to implement the prescription guidelines set by them so that consumers can be benefited," he added.

Pharma companies seek hike in drug rates under price control

The Economic Times - Teena Thacker

With a 50-200% rise in the cost of raw materials imported from China, pharmaceutical lobby groups have urged the government to invoke extraordinary powers to hike prices of drugs under price control, according to sources. Over 70% of the country’s total bulk drug requirement comes from China. These bulk drugs or active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) are used in producing medicines, including essential items like antibiotics, vitamins and folic acid. At a meeting on Wednesday, industry lobby groups like Federation of Pharmaceutical Entrepreneurs (FOPE), Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance and Indian Drugs Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) submitted recommendations to the department of pharmaceuticals (DoP), health ministry, department of biotechnology and the drug controller general of India (DCGI), seeking to invoke Para 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order for raising prices of all scheduled drugs. Para 19 deals with increase or decrease of drug prices.

AstraZeneca-Daiichi drug halts cancer for months in first readout

ET Healthworld – Reuters

An experimental cancer drug developed by AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo kept metastatic breast cancer at bay for months in women who had exhausted other treatment options, its first clinical study showed. Patients on trastuzumab deruxtecan, also known as DS-8201, who had already undergone roughly six prior treatment courses, were saw no further progression for a median of 16.4 months. Jose Baselga, AstraZenecas head of oncology research and development, said this patient group would normally encounter further cancer deterioration after about six months. "This is a totally unprecedented clinical benefit," he said of the so-called antibody-drug conjugate, which links powerful cell toxins to antibodies that cling to cancer cells, sparing the healthy ones that would be damaged in normal chemotherapy.

B-Temias human mobility device, Keeogo receives CE marking

Pharmabiz

B-Temia Inc, a Canadian robotics tech company and leader in the human mobility market, announces that it is now authorized by the notified body British Standard Institute (BSI) to affix the CE marking on its powered human mobility device Keeogo. The CE marking opens new markets and allows the company to commercialize Keeogo in the 28 European Union countries and facilitates its registration in some countries in Asia. "This is good news for us and our customers. After years working on profiling the efficacy and the safety of its hyper-innovative technology, B-Temia now has clearance to sell Keeogo on the European territory and the ability to accelerate regulatory authorizations processes in many other countries that recognize the CE marking", explains Stephane Bédard, president and chief executive officer of the Company. "This endorsement is one of the key milestones of our global expansion plan initiated in 2017 with our Asia-based partner Wistron Corp, and therefore, it gives us great confidence for the other regulatory approvals we are currently completing for additional territories", adds Bedard. Alexandre Jokic, vice president Regulatory Affairs, mentions that "The indication for use approved by the authority is the broadest and the most versatile on the exoskeleton market, prescribing that Keeogo is indicated to assist users with musculoskeletal weaknesses or lower limb instability and provides them with strength and stability to assist their ambulatory activities both in clinics and at home (e.g.: walking, ascending and descending stairs, exercising and carrying out daily activities)" for which this indication for use provides the commercial versatility required for such market.