Cancer is one of the leading threats to public health in India. An estimated 2.25 million people live with the disease in the country, with more than 1.15 million new cases registered and an estimated 784,821 deaths recorded last year. Despite this, the country’s cancer infrastructure is sorely lacking – as phrased by a parliamentary […]
Science
Kerala’s startups touted for their role in cancer care
Health minister K. K. Shailaja has emphasised the importance of Kerala’s startups in the state’s healthcare system. Speaking at a symposium jointly organised by the Cochin Cancer Research Centre and Kerala Startup Mission, Shailaja touted the role of Kerala’s startups in care for diseases such as cancer. “We at the ministry keep getting requests for […]
E-pharmacy regulation on the cards as ministers meet
E-pharmacy regulation is being discussed by ministers as the industry grows by leaps and bounds in India. The sector, which accounts for between two and three percent of the US$20 billion pharma market in India at present, is expected to grow sevenfold by 2022 when it is expected to be valued at US$3.7 billion compared […]
OpEd: A Balanced TMR to Address Healthcares Twin Aspects of Affordability and Quality
One of its fastest-growing sectors, India’s healthcare industry is expected to cross the US$372 billion mark by FY 2022. Increase in private investments since the government allowed cent percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in medical devices is seen as one of the policy decisions strengthening India’s dream of having a niche in quality care delivery. […]
Ebola circulating in Indian bats
Bats in northeast India may harbour the Ebola virus, according to a study published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases. Bats and bat hunters in northeast India carry reactive antibodies to the Ebola and Marburg viruses according to the research, indicating that the filoviruses associated with the disease circulate among the local bat population. This presents […]
Air quality plummets to emergency levels in Delhi
Air quality in the national capital has plummeted to emergency levels, with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal once again likening the city to a ‘gas chamber’. In declaring the emergency, the Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) ordered that schools be shuttered in the National Capital Region (NCR), imposed a moratorium on construction activities, and […]
Unsafe medical devices to get a Rs 1 crore penalty
The efforts of government think tank Niti Aayog to improve transparency and quality within the medical sector includes a Rs 1 crore fine for firms who import or manufacture unsafe medical devices. Per draft legislation, the Medical Devices (Safety, Effectiveness and Innovation) Bill, 2019, a National Register of Medical Devices would be devised wherein each […]
FDA India: A single regulator on the cards?
A single regulator for food, medical devices, and medicines is on the cards in India, as the government think tank Niti Aayog has proposed a body analogous to the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) in the United States. At present, food safety is overseen by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and […]
A digital health blueprint for universal healthcare
Dr Harsh Vardhan has urged stakeholders to work towards implementing India’s digital health blueprint in order to facilitate a digital health economy. “[The] Government of India is committed to ensuring high quality healthcare, accessible to all upto the last mile,” said Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare and Science and Technology. “The digital […]
Nanopharmaceuticals: A regulatory framework
The Centre has moved to lay down the law on nanopharmaceuticals, with the release of guidelines at the end of last week to promote them and ensure they are regulated on par with other medicines and medical products. The ‘Guidelines for Evaluation of Nanopharmaceuticals in India’ were jointly prepared by the Department of Biotechnology under […]