Covaxin, India’s homegrown COVID-19 vaccine candidate, has shown promising results in interim phase-III trials. The vaccine, manufactured by Hyderabad, Telangana-headquartered firm Bharat Biotech, demonstrated an almost 81 percent interim clinical efficacy according to the company following the release of results from the interim phase-III trials on Wednesday. “Covaxin demonstrates high clinical efficacy trend against COVID-19 […]
Science and Technology
HPV awareness the need of the hour to fight cervical cancer
Today marks the culmination of the fourth International HPV Awareness Campaign, coinciding with International HPV Awareness Day. Raising awareness of HPV [the human papillomavirus] is essential in the fight against cancer – most prominently cervical cancer. As the World Health Organization (WHO) explains, “there are more than 100 types of HPV, of which at least […]
COVID-19 cases much higher than official figures?
A study of Karnataka households suggests India’s true number of COVID-19 cases during the pandemic may be markedly higher than the official tally. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, collected data from a representative sample of households spanning twenty districts of the southern state, SciDev reports. The research indicated that […]
Vision loss: Why we must tackle it
The global fight against vision loss can yield vast rewards by “unlocking human potential and accelerating global development” if the estimated 1.1 billion people living with untreated visual impairment are reached. This is one of the findings of a Lancet Commission report focused on the issue, which anticipates an economic benefit of US$411 billion a […]
Sputnik-V approval likely to be sought by March
Dr Reddy’s Laboratories Ltd. is expected to seek Sputnik-V approval by next month. Emergency use authorisation for use of the Russian-manufactured COVID-19 vaccine is being sought following research suggesting the vaccine candidate to be effective. A press release, carried by Health Issues India earlier this week, outlined that “in the interim efficacy analysis of the […]
Cancer in India: A snapshot of the threat
India observes World Cancer Day 2021 in far from normal circumstances. The raging COVID-19 pandemic has threatened to obscure the plethora of other diseases India and the world at large grapples with. Awareness events such as World Cancer Day serve to shine a light on the far-reaching impact of cancer in India, which has emerged […]
A vaccine for all mankind: Sputnik V’s efficacy in fighting COVID-19 is validated by internationally peer reviewed data published in The Lancet
In an interim analysis of a Phase III clinical trial, Sputnik V showed strong efficacy, immunogenicity and safety results. Efficacy of Sputnik V against COVID-19 was reported at 91.6%. Analysis included data on 19,866 volunteers, who received both the first and second doses of the Sputnik V vaccine or placebo at the final control point […]
NTD roadmap unveiled by WHO
Earlier this week, the World Health Organization (WHO) unveiled a 2021-30 neglected tropical disease (NTD) roadmap aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “The road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 sets out global targets for 2030 and milestones to prevent, control, eliminate and eradicate a diverse set of twenty diseases and disease groups,” the […]
How medtech looks going forward: An interview with Pavan Choudary
Medtech is a staple of healthcare systems the world over, vital in the management of a plethora of health issues. Last year, to explore this subject, Health Issues India interviewed Medical Technology Association of India chairperson, Vygon Indian managing director, and writer Pavan Choudary. At that time, Choudary and I discussed the importance of medical […]
COVID-19 and smoking: Tobacco not a protector
Research into interplay between COVID-19 and smoking conducted by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has been questioned by scientists. The CSIR serosurvey reportedly suggested that smokers are at lower risk of contracting COVID-19 – but experts responded with doubts. The CSIR conducted a seroprevalence survey of 10,427 Indians, consisting of those working […]