Biotech Dept Set to Work on Vaccines

The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on Tuesday said it was partnering with the Norway-based Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI) to fund development of vaccines for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

Mumbai: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) on Tuesday said it was partnering with the Norway-based Coalition of Epidemic Preparedness and Innovations (CEPI) to fund development of vaccines for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19).

The DBT under the India chapter of the CEPI will support Indian companies aligned to the development of vaccines against the Covid-19 and other emerging infectious diseases....read more

Rs 15 lakh aid for treatments out of Ayushman cover

HT Excerpts: In 2017-18, Rs 40 crores were used from the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi funds at AIIMS, Delhi for providing free treatment to 926 people, approximately 4.31 lakhs per patient, according to the latest annual report from the hospital.

Poor patients in need of expensive treatment not covered by packages under the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme will now again be able to get financial assistance of up to Rs 15 lakh under the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) scheme....read more

How to remove negative thoughts

Darkness is the absence of light and similarly, negative thoughts are absence of positive thoughts. The answer to negative thoughts is to bring back positive thoughts. An idle mind is the devil’s workshop and so will always think negative. Here are some ways by which you can get rid your negative thoughts. ....read more

How Corona Aware Are You

Health Sutras By Dr KK Aggarwal

Keep your lower blood pressure, LDL “bad” cholesterol, fasting sugar, pulse rate and waist circumference all below 80.

Healthcare News Monitor

KDPMA urges Union govt to impose temporary export ban on all APIs & formulations under NLEM in the wake of coronavirus epidemic in China

Pharmabiz India - Nandita Vijay

The Karnataka Drugs and Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KDPMA) has demanded to the Union government to impose a temporary ban on export of APIs and formulations falling under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) as the prices of APIs are rising due to the impact of coronavirus pandemic in China. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic in China, Indian API prices have risen by over 40 per cent. With the API plant closures enforced in China, Indian pharma is facing a slowdown in manufacture of several products which are dependent on intermediates and APIs from the dragon land. "In this scenario, our view is that export of all bulk drugs and formulations coming under the NLEM ambit should be temporarily banned to arrest rise in prices as well secure the drugs for the patients within the country till situation in China returns to normal. The government should take cognizance of this immediately and enforce an interim embargo on exports,” Harish K Jain, secretary, KDPMA and director, Embiotic Laboratories told Pharmabiz. Following the coronavirus epidemic, 50 pharma suppliers in Central China across Henan, Wuhan, Hunan, Hubei, Zhejiang and Guangdong engaged in production of over a 100 key pharma chemicals like azithromycin, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, beta carotene, calcium pantothenate, ibuprofen and vitamin A, B12 and D have shut down operations.

NPPA seeks explanation from drug manufacturers on 228 cases of DPCO violation

Pharmabiz India - Shardul Nautiyal

The national drug pricing regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has asked for suitable responses from manufacturers on 228 cases of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO-2013) violation following show cause notices (SCN). During a recent meet in Delhi, NPPA was appraised of the issues emerging from examination of 228 cases of DPCO 2013 violation carried out so far with reference to overcharging of medicines. It was recommended that in cases where companies had not submitted data even after issuance of SCN as required by NPPA guidelines, the SCN may be converted into a demand notice and the company given last opportunity to submit data failing which action will be taken as per the law of the land. Further, it was also decided to examine the cases and related recommendations and undertake necessary changes in the existing NPPA guidelines. It was also decided that CA audited data may be certified by the statutory auditor of the manufacturer or company and countersigned by the respective company secretary. Further, where possible, data submitted by the company may be validated with reference to Excise/GST records and returns filed by the company under the statutes. As per a notification, NPPA has proposed to set up Price Monitoring and Research Units (PMRUs) in states and Union territories (UTs) across the country to support state drug controllers and itself to check drug price ceiling violations.

Woman abducts two-day-old baby girl from Ludhiana civil hospital

Hindustan Times

A woman abducted a newborn girl from the civil hospital here on Tuesday afternoon after befriending the mother and asking to hold the child and take her for a round of the wards. Sarbawati, 28, of Dhandari Kalan and a native of Uttar Pradesh gave birth to the child on Sunday. Her husband Umesh, who works in a tool factory and informed the hospital staff and police about the woman and the baby’s disappearance, said they got suspicious when the woman did not return after an hour. She had befriended Sarbawati by saying she too was from UP and had come to see a relative at the hospital. She had come into the wards on Monday and was standing near the new mother’s bed, even sleeping on the floor close to her at night. Sarbawati stated that on Tuesday morning the hospital staff had told her that they were discharging her and while her husband was completing the requisite formalities the woman took the baby for a round of the ward and did not return. The police who scanned CCTV cameras installed at the hospital said the woman was seen with the baby but it would not be of much help as her face was covered with the shawl she was wearing. Senior medical officer (SMO) at civil hospital Dr Avinash Jindal said CCTV footage of the woman had been handed over to the police. Assistant commissioner of police (ACP, Central) Waryam Singh said that the police have lodged an FIR against unidentified accused. Involvement of hospital staff in the matter will also be investigated, he said.

Homoeopathy doctor in Andhra Pradesh sells preventive’ medicine for COVID-19

The New Indian Express

A cure for coronavirus (COVID-19) is yet to be found, but a homoeopathy doctor here claims he has medicines that can safeguard you from the infection. However, there’s still no guarantee. “We are only taking preventive steps based on symptoms. Most symptoms of coronavirus are similar to those of other infections such as swine flu or normal flu,” Dr TVB Bhaskar Rao told TNIE, adding that the preventive dose boosts immunity, making one less prone to contracting the infection. As for why the Chinese are not considering such preventive medicines, he said his approach would be of no use if there is a “violent presence of the disease or virus in certain atmospheres”. He usually charges Rs 500 to prescribe medicines for normal flu, and now charges his patients an extra Rs 150 and gives them the preventive dose for five days.