FDA urges virtual patient visits as coronavirus disrupts clinical trials

U.S.-based Iveric bio Inc delayed enrollment in a trial of its eye disease drug on Wednesday, two days after Provention Bio paused a study of its diabetes drug but allowed trial patients to complete their course.

Bengaluru: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday recommended switching to virtual patient visits instead of in-person monitoring for clinical studies, as signs emerge that the rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak is disrupting trials.

U.S.-based Iveric bio Inc delayed enrollment in a trial of its eye disease drug on Wednesday, two days after Provention Bio paused a study of its diabetes drug but allowed trial patients to complete their course....read more

Indias Coronavirus Mystery

New York Times is baffled by India’s coronavirus mystery. India has 138 confirmed cases, and it’s a bit of a puzzle how the world’s second-most-populous nation, with 1.3 billion people, has seemingly remained unscathed so far from COVID 19.

Could it be possible that there could be many more cases in India than have been detected, because of the difficulties of getting tested? Another fact could be that India has managed to so far escape the worst — either because of quick and strict efforts right from the start, or another mix of factors. ....read more

Should doctors prefer thrombolysis over primary PCI in COVID 19 patients with acute heart attack

New challenges can lead to new clinical approach, or at least new protocols based on the available evidence. In a Medscape article, the authors argue against a "thrombolysis first" approach to treating acute heart attack being practised in China. However, ACC/SCAI statement propose that fibrinolysis can be considered as an option for the relatively stable STEMI patient with active COVID-19, following careful consideration of possible patient benefits vs the risks of cath-lab personnel exposure to the virus. ....read more

Self-Distancing Guidelines

Whenever people gather, there are opportunities to spread germs At a recent corporate conference in Boston, with a gathering of 175 people, COVID 19 spread to more than 100 people. Even though, not every place will be so contagious, it is impossible to know. Also there are several asymptomatic carriers....read more

COVID 19 or corona virus particles can stay stable for hours on surfaces

SARS-CoV-2 stability is similar to original SARS virus According to a new study from National Institutes of Health, Princeton University, CDC and UCLA scientists in The New England Journal of Medicine has found that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS COV 2) virus can remain stable for several hours to days in aerosols and on surfaces. ....read more

COVID Medtalks around the globe 18th March

Confirmed Cases and Deaths in 163 countries and territories around the world and 1 international conveyance (the Diamond Princess cruise ship harbored in Yokohama, Japan). The day is reset after midnight GMT+0. The "New" columns for China display the previous day changes (as China reports after the day is over). For all other countries, the "New" columns display the changes for the current day while still in progress....read more

Be Positive, Be Different and Be Persistent

You should be not only positive, different but also persistent. In ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the first is a fish, which indicates to be different in life. The second incarnation is the tortoise, which indicates that you should be different but learn to withdraw when the need arises. The third is a boar which indicates persistence....read more

How Corona Aware Are You

Health Sutras By Dr K K Aggarwal

If fruits and vegetables are uniform in size and color, they may have been artificially ripened.

Healthcare News Monitor

Faster green clearances to Pharma companies to overcome possible shortage of drugs during COVID-19 outbreak

The Times of India

NEW DELHI: In order to help overcome any possible shortage of raw materials in medicine formulations in the wake of coronavirus COVID-19) outbreak, the Centre has decided that projects or activities relating to bulk drugs be considered out of turn and environmental clearances to be issued in this regard at the state level to expedite any such approval which may relate to pollution, effluent discharge or animal trials by pharma companies. The move comes in the wake of certain concerns over possible shortage of some key medicines after coronavirus outbreak in China which is the major supplier of ‘active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) and bulk drugs intermediates to India. The decision will ensure drug availability in the country without any disruption. "The decision, which is in line with ease of doing business, will enable project proponents relating to APIs to get Environmental Approvals at State level itself instead of (at) the Centre. This decision has also been taken to prevent any possible disruption in supply of APIs in India,” tweeted Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday.

Roche Diagnostics is Indias first private firm to get coronavirus test approval

Mint- PTI

Swiss firm Roche Diagnostics India received the license for conducting coronavirus tests after approval from drug regulator DCGI, making it the first private firm to get such permission after the government decided to allow accredited private labs to test for COVID-19. According to a senior official, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is now assessing giving license to another private diagnostic firm, bioMérieux, which has also sought approval to conduct tests for coronavirus. The official said two Indian diagnostic companies-- Trivitron Healthcare and Mylab Discovery Solution-- have also sought approval from the DCGI for the coronavirus testing kits developed by them. The Union health ministry had on Tuesday issued guidelines for private sector laboratories intending to initiate COVID-19 testing while appealing them to conduct the tests free of cost.

Covid-19: Ghaziabad hospital faces safety kit shortage

The Times of India

The District Combined Hospital is facing severe shortage of hand sanitisers and personal protective equipment (PPE) kits needed to deal with suspected Covid-19 patients. Hospital sources said they have apprised the district health department of the current situation and also written to the director of epidemic. The hospital has already placed an order but waiting for the stock to arrive. “We need 10-12 PPE kits every day to visit the suspected patients in the isolation ward. The materials required for sample collection are also available in a limited number. The way the number is going up, it will be difficult to deal with the situation,” sources said.

Doctor who treated Kalaburgi man tests positive, quarantined

Hindustan Times

A 63-year-old doctor who had treated the 76-year-old man, who returned from Saudi Arabia and was the first Indian to die of the new coronavirus, also tested positive for Covid-19, Deputy Commissioner, Kalaburagi Sharat B had said on Tuesday. The doctor has been sent to an isolation ward and his family quarantined. Meanwhile, as two more people were tested positive for novel coronavirus in Karnataka, taking the number of confirmed cases in the state to 11, the government said it was planning to extend the statewide lockdown for the next week or two after reviewing the situation. Karnataka government has already announced closure of schools, colleges, universities, pubs, malls, theatres, sports stadiums and parks and barred the conduct of large conferences, meetings, weddings or temple fairs for a week until 21 March. “We might have to extend the (statewide lockdown) for a further period if required, we will examine this over the weekend,” health and family welfare minister B Sriramulu told reporters. The latest person to be confirmed as Covid-19 positive case is a 67-year-old resident of Bangalore who returned to the city from Dubai via Goa on March 9. Sriramulu said the person has been at a designated isolation hospital since March 16 and that 21 high risk contacts, including his five family members, have been identified and were put under strict home quarantine.