Medicine

World Homeopathy Day 2023: History, Importance, Theme of this year

Homoeopathy is a 200-year-old and another form of medicine that claims to boost the body's ability to heal itself and stimulate a healing response

Medicines should be sold under supervision of pharmacists in medical stores

India's drug regulator DCGI has written to drug controllers of all states and Union territories and the Pharmacy Council of India asking them to ensure that pharmacists are physically present in retail medical stores and that medicines are sold under their direct supervision. In a letter, Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) Dr Rajeev Singh Raghuvanshi sought strict implementation of section 42 (a) of the Pharmacy Act 1947 and Rules 65 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1945 in retail pharmacies. Ensure that pharmacists are physically present in the retail pharmacies/medical stores, and that medicines are sold/dispensed under their direct supervision. Ensure that no prescription medicine is sold/dispensed from the retail medicines shop without a proper and valid prescription," the DCGI said in the letter sent on March 9. The drug regulator referred to a letter from Suresh Khanna, National General Secretary, IPA, Mumbai which highlighted issues pertaining to implementation of Section

DCGI asks drug manufacturers not to use propylene glycol by Delhi firm

India's drug regulator has directed drug manufacturers not to use propylene glycol supplied by a Delhi-based company which provided the ingredient to Marion Biotech, whose cough syrups were alleged to have led to the deaths of children in Uzbekistan. Maya Chemtech India Pvt. Ltd. supplied propylene glycol used in Marion Biotech's cough syrups that were found to be "not of standard quality", according to the regulator. Three employees of Marion Biotech were arrested on charges of manufacture and sale of adulterated drugs. Also, the drugs inspector from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) North Zone last week issued a notice to the pharmaceutical firm asking it to stop the sale and distribution of the drug concerned, stating that the sample was found to be "not of standard quality". Uzbekistan alleged in December last year that several children died after consuming Marion Biotech's cough syrups, which it claimed were contaminated with unacceptable amounts of ethyl

The electrome syndrome

Sally Adee has written an absorbing and fast-paced account of a field of research that could thus herald a whole new era of paradigm-shifting medicine

Govt to organise 'Chintan Shivir' with focus on drug quality regulation

New Delhi [India], February 24 (ANI): Union Health and family welfare Minister Dr Mansukh Mandaviya will chair a two-day 'Chintan Shivir' at Telangana's Hyderabad with a focus on Drug Quality Regulation and Enforcement."Eminent speakers along with Domain experts from government, industry fora, startups, and academia will be participating," official sources told ANI.The Chintan Shivir will be held for two days from February 26- 27, 2023 at Shanti Vanam in Hyderabad.Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar, Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bhagwant Khuba, Minister of State for Chemicals & Fertilizers along with Dr V K Paul, Member (Health) NITI Aayog will attend the meeting. Senior officials including Union Secretary (Health), Secretary (AYUSH), Secretary (Pharmaceuticals), DGHS along with representatives from National Health Authority, NPPA, CDSCO, NIB, Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, NIPERs, State functionaries and officials including ACS/Principal Secretary will be present ..

Medicine sale by dealers to retailers hit Rs 1.40 trn in Apr-Dec: Mandaviya

The total sale of medicines by stockists/dealers to retailers in India stood at over Rs 1.40 lakh crore during the April-December period, Rajya Sabha was informed on Tuesday. In a written reply to a query, Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh Mandaviya laid a statement on the table of the Upper House stating no separate data is, however, maintained regarding consumption of generic medicines in the country. During the April-December 2022 period, the total sales of medicines by stockists or dealers to retailers was at Rs 1,40,865.31 crore. In 2021-2022, it was at Rs 1,69,234.82 crore while the same stood at Rs 1,47,586.41 crore in 2020-2021, as per the statement. The Department of Pharmaceuticals has taken various steps for increasing the production of drugs in the country and encourage domestic manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs, including PLI scheme for manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs)/ Active Pharmaceutical ...

After Gambia, now Uzbekistan alleges Indian cold drug killed its children

Noida-based Marion Biotech's Dok-1 Max anti-cold medicine under scanner after the Central Asian nation blames it for 18 deaths

Wave of Covid-19 infections in China triggers widespread drugs shortage

An unprecedented Covid infections in China has triggered widespread drug shortage, as people scramble to buy fever medicines and painkillers to alleviate flu-like symptoms, according to media report

'Patients cannot be forced to buy medicines from hospital-attached shops'

Patients cannot be compelled to purchase medicines from hospital-attached drug stores, the Maharashtra Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has said. A notification issued by Commissioner, FDA, Abhimanyu Kale said FDA had received repeated complaints that patients have been forced to buy medicines from the drug store in hospitals. "It is illegal for a hospital to force patients to buy medicines from their affiliated stores," said the notification, addressed to all the divisional joint commissioners, assistant commissioners, and drug inspectors (Drugs). Patients don't need to purchase medicines from hospital-affiliated shops and the same can be purchased from any licensed drug store, it said. The hospitals concerned should prominently display a signboard at a prominent place visible to the patients, as per the notification.

Udaan to provide medicine delivery to pharmacies every 4-hour

As part of the new service offering, Udaan will provide medicine delivery to pharmacies every 4-hour with 4 delivery slot options in a day to order medicines across six cities

Medicine purchases by inpatients exempt from GST, says Tamil Nadu AAR

But says drugs, consumables purchased by outpatients in the course of treatment will be taxed

India likely to get Omicron-specific vaccine by year-end, says SII chief

SII is working with Novavax to bring the Omicron-specific vaccine, as the nation continues to record a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases

US approves eye drops that could eliminate need for reading glasses

The US has approved a new type of eye drop which they say could eliminate the need for reading glasses

I-T dept raids Delhi-Haryana pharma and realty cos; seizes cash and gold

Finds links to Hawala sale of medicines to Afghanistan

Some antivirals may be effective against Monkeypox virus: Lancet

A team of researchers have found that some antiviral medications might have the potential to shorten symptoms and reduce the amount of time a patient is contagious with Monkeypox virus.

Scientists move a step closer for cataract treatment with new drug

A team of international scientists has been carrying out advanced optical tests on an oxysterol compound that had been proposed as an anti-cataract drug

Australian scientists identify biomarkers that cause sudden infant death

SIDS is the unexplained death of an apparently healthy infant less than one year of age, during a period of sleep

Medical aspirants urge PM for postponing NEET PG 2022 examination

The development came even as a medical students' association moved the Supreme Court on Thursday for postponement of the examination citing its clash with the ongoing counselling for NEET PG 2021

Govt to launch AYUSH visa for traditional medical tourism, set up parks

To launch AYUSH mark for standardisation of products in traditional medicine

Govt support, funds needed for innovation in traditional medicine: Tedros

WHO DG Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said that long-term strategic investments along with government support are crucial for fostering innovation in the field of traditional medicine.