TRENDS
MC Analysis | How SC judgment highlights flaws in India’s abortion law
The apex court ruled that all women, married or unmarried, are entitled to safe and legal abortion till 24 weeks of pregnancy. It also acknowledged marital rape.
HEALTH-TRENDS
Privatisation of district hospitals: Wheels set in motion in 5 states
At least five states have responded to a call by Niti Aayog to hand over district hospitals to private companies, which will get support to set up attached medical colleges.
TRENDS
Bayer launches novel drug in India to treat worsening heart failure
India is witnessing an ever increasing burden of cardio-vascular diseases and many patients go on to develop serious heart ailments that can often be life-threatening
TRENDS
Can Rajasthan's Right to Health Bill guarantee universal medicare?
In its current form, the Bill may be quite weak, as a lot has been left for rules to be framed later, say those attached with health administration and movements
TRENDS
Fresh concerns on dengue spurt as rains persist in Delhi-NCR
Till August 31 this year, 30,627 dengue cases and 12 deaths were recorded in the country. The highest number of dengue deaths—346—in many years was in 2021, with Rajasthan alone reporting nearly 100 fatalities
HEALTH-TRENDS
Organon seeks to bring innovative healthcare solutions for women: Anjan Sen, South Asia lead
A Merk spinoff, Organon is a global healthcare company, formed in 2021, that focuses on improving women's health. It works with government bodies and NGOs to educate women on family planning and contraception
HEALTH-TRENDS
Organon seeks to bring innovative healthcare solutions for women: Anjan Sen, South Asia lead
A global healthcare company formed in 2021 through a spinoff from Merck, Organon focuses on improving the health of women. It works with government bodies and NGOs to educate women on family planning and contraception
HEALTH-TRENDS
NMC proposes relaxing norm for universities to start medical colleges
Apart from speeding up the process, the move could also allow for a more equal distribution of such institutions across the country
TRENDS
Doctor-Pharma Nexus Part II: What drives drug prescription in India?
If doctors are concerned about the quality of generic drugs and hesitate to prescribe them, how do they decide which medicines patients should take?
TRENDS
Pharma-Doctor Nexus Part I: Why rules, Code for doctors, drugmakers have failed to curb unethical practices
The Medical Council of India's (now Medical Commission of India's) rules for doctors and the Uniform Code of Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices have elaborate guidelines to curb such practices, but with no real statutory backing they remain on paper even as the patients suffer.
TRENDS
First time in India: Stem cell therapy to treat knee osteoarthritis
The therapy, developed by an Indian company, is priced at Rs 1.25 lakh. It may offer 35 million patients across the country a chance of substantially improving their quality of life without going under the scalpel. Worldwide, very few companies have developed stem cell therapy for acute knee osteoarthritis.
TRENDS
Generic versions of diabetes drug Sitagliptin now available at govt stores at affordable prices
The drug can be used for majority of the patients suffering from type 2 diabetes
HEALTH-TRENDS
Cancer treatment costs: Little respite from new list of essential drugs
While the inclusion of four cancer drugs has been welcomed as a step in the right direction, some doctors and activists say patients would have benefitted if newer such medicines had also been added to the list.
HEALTH-TRENDS
Ola founding partner Pranay Jivarajka’s venture wants to normalise conversations around sexual wellness
Allo Health is a digital health clinic seeking to normalise sexual wellness by breaking the taboo and shame attached to it through personalised and discreet healthcare. It claims to provide holistic, end-to-end, accessible solutions to everything under the sexual wellness spectrum
INDIA
NLEM 2022 | Govt releases new list of 384 essential medicines; 34 drugs added, 26 dropped
Drugs used to treat diseases that are a public health problem in India, are comparatively cost effective and aligned with the current treatment guidelines are included in the National List of Essential Medicines
HEALTH-TRENDS
Healthcare spend as percentage of GDP down in 15 years; out-of-pocket expenditure declines
The crucial finding has emerged from the National Health Accounts report which is a tool to describe health expenditures and the flow of funds in both government and private sectors in the country
TRENDS
First indigenously developed CAR-T cell therapy could be the safest ever
CAR T cell therapy, a type of immunotherapy, is only available as part of clinical trials at select hospitals in India presently but is likely to be launched commercially in about 18 months
TRENDS
Full accreditation of hospitals sluggish but demand high for entry-level certification
The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare providers has a multi-level accreditation process that includes entry, progressive-level certification and finally, complete accreditation
INTERVIEW
Private health sector in India has grown because of huge gap in healthcare delivery: Alok Roy, chairman, Medica group of hospitals
With five functioning hospitals across five states and another five on the anvil, Medica aims to become one of the biggest healthcare chains in the country within the next two years.
TRENDS
COVID-19 booster dose drive fails to pick up, only one in five eligible adults jabbed
Meghalaya has the worst 8 percent coverage of the Covid booster dose among its eligible population, while Andhra Pradesh has the highest at 34 percent
TRENDS
Hospital accreditation body, FOGSI tie up to raise standards of maternity homes
As per the latest government figures there are now 7 states in India with maternal mortality rate of under 70 per lakh live births but in four states in the country, the MMR rose in 2017-19 when compared to 2016-18
HEALTH-TRENDS
Pan-India exit test for final-year MBBS students set to be delayed by a year
The National Exit Test, a qualifying examination for all final year MBBS students and PG entrance, is unlikely to be launched as per schedule in 2023 due to a lack of preparations and clarity about its framework
TRENDS
Interview | Proton Beam cancer therapy is a national asset, says Dinesh Madhavan of Apollo
The Apollo group’s Proton Beam therapy centre for cancer patients recently became Asia’s first training institute for radiation oncologists, though the group installed the system in 2019. The Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai is likely to get it operational by next year.
TRENDS
Regulator fixes retails prices of 45 drugs, many of them drug cocktails
Last month, the drug price regulator had fixed the prices of 84 drug formulations
