Medical Research

Budget focus on medical research, aims to eliminate sickle cell anaemia

Facilities of state-run ICMR labs will be made available for private sector research, says Finance Minister

Alzheimer's drug trial shown to slow cognitive decline, says report

A new drug, lecanemab, has been found to slow down cognitive decline in Alzheimer's patients, according to a study that could lead to new treatments for the neurodegenerative disease. The study results were presented at the 15th Clinical Trials on Alzheimer's Disease (CTAD) Conference in San Francisco, US, on November 29. The study is also published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Amyloid-clearing and cognitive decline-slowing drug lecanemab, which is poised for FDA approval early next year, will be a positive step in the treatment of Alzheimer's, the study said. Alzheimer's is a complex disease with multiple underlying causes tied to the biology of aging, therefore, the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) has long held that a combination drug approach is needed, the study said. Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation (ADDF) is dedicated to rapidly accelerating the discovery of drugs to prevent, treat and cure Alzheimer's disease. "Today's results show that lecanema

Significant decline in sperm counts globally, including India: Study

An international team of researchers has found a significant decline in sperm counts over the years in many countries globally, including India. Sperm count is not only an indicator of human fertility but also that of men's health, with low levels being associated with increased risk of chronic disease, testicular cancer and a decreased lifespan, the researchers said. The decline reflects a global crisis related to modern environment and lifestyle, with broad implications for the survival of the human species, they said. The study, published on Tuesday in the journal Human Reproduction Update, used data from 53 countries. It includes an additional seven years of data collection (2011-2018) and focuses on sperm count trends among men in regions not reviewed previously, specifically South America, Asia and Africa. The data shows, for the first time, that men in those regions share the significant decline in total sperm counts (TSC) and sperm concentration (SC) seen previously in Nort

Lab-grown blood transfusion: The many problems it could address if it works

It could end shortages of rare groups, and drastically cut the risk of infections from transfusions

Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2022 Counselling Round 2 Allotment List released

The Directorate of Medical Education (DME) Tamil Nadu officially released the Tamil Nadu NEET PG 2022 Counselling Round 2 Allotment List today

Medical education in Hindi will bring big positive change in country: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the beginning of medical education in Hindi will bring a big positive change in the country. Lakhs of students will be able to study in their language and doors for many new opportunities will also open for them, he said. He was reacting to the launch of such a course by Home Minister Amit Shah in Bhopal. Shah on Sunday released textbooks for three subjects in Hindi for MBBS students as part of an ambitious project of the Madhya Pradesh government to impart medical education in Hindi language. Calling it an important day in history, Shah said Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to start the MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) course in Hindi.

WHO researcher Rajiv Bahl is new ICMR head and secy, health research

Bahl joined WHO in 2003 where he coordinates research and guidelines development in areas of maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health; was earlier with AIIMS

Drug reactions can be life-threatening; not to be neglected: KGMU doctors

Rashes that do not itch, swollen eyes, burning sensation in lips and sore throat could be symptoms of severe adverse drug reaction (ADR)

Long Covid syndrome in children less common than in adults, US study finds

The risk of long COVID in children appears to be lower than what has been reported in adults, according to a study conducted in the US. Some people who have been infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus can experience long-term effects from their infection which can last for months. The study, published in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, found that many of the symptoms children experience post-COVID-19 are similar to those seen in adults, but there are some features more unique to kids, such as hair loss, skin rashes and diarrhea. The risk for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), or long COVID appears to be higher in children younger than five years of age, those with medical complexity and those admitted to the intensive care unit, the researchers said. "There has been a critical need to understand the impact of COVID-19 in children both in the short as well as long-term, said Suchitra Rao, infectious disease specialist at Children's Hospital Colorado, US. "This is one of

At least 8 Indian companies working to develop monkeypox vaccine: Report

Among the companies that are working with ICMR are Serum Institute of India (SII), Reliance Life Sciences, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, and Biological E

ICMR-NIV analysis finds A.2 strain of monkeypox virus in first two cases

An analysis of India's first two monkeypox cases by an institute of the Indian Council of Medical Research revealed that the duo who returned from the UAE were infected with the virus strain A.2

Centre asks states to step up surveillance to curb Covid-19 spread

States have been asked to screen 2 per cent of international travellers randomly with RT-PCR tests and send all positive samples for genomic sequencing

Bharat Biotech's Covaxin induces wider immune response, say experts

However, experts say that Covaxin induces a wider immune response and thus antibody production against the spike protein may be less intense

Experimental obesity drug may be alternative to bariatric surgery

The drug maker claimed that the new drug Tirzepatide has enabled people with obesity or who are overweight to lose about 22.5 per cent of their body weight

Experts question study predicting fourth Covid wave in India in June

According to the recent modelling study by researchers at IIT-Kanpur, the fourth wave of the Covid in India may start around June 22 and peak from mid- to late-August

Will new strain Omicron be more contagious than Delta: Virologist explains

The omicron variant has 50 mutations overall, with 32 mutations on the spike protein alone

How Indian engineering colleges are revamping medical R&D with new-age tech

Using tools such as AI, ML, data science and 3D printing, they are making breakthroughs in fields such as oncology, neurology, liver disease and premature deliveries

Reality always catches up in a pandemic: Albright Stonebridge's Mehul Mehta

He spoke to Anjuli Bhargava about the second wave of the pandemic, how the US managed its vaccine rollout better than India, and where India needs to go with its genomics sequencing capabilities

Covishield shows better antibody response than Covaxin, says study

The study was aimed at analysing the antibody response after two complete doses of Covishield and Covaxin in Indians

Study finds a new way of predicting the efficacy of Covid-19 vaccines

A study has identified the immune response associated with protection from Covid-19. The discovery is likely to help reduce the time it takes to develop new vaccines