Bar Coding of Primary Packs of Drugs
The government of India has made it mandatory to bar-code mono cartons (primary packs) of drugs shipped out of the country from July 1 2015. Primary packaging includes ampoules, vials, bottles, cartridges and blister-packs. This is to ensure that the reputation of the Indian pharma industry is not tarnished by medicines manufactured illicitly in other…
Panel on Medical Devices
In December 2014, the Union Health Ministry of India decided to set up a high level committee to review the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1945 and make the rules more relevant. The committee has now set up 7 sub-groups to look at different segments. The following 2 groups are relevant for Medical Devices: 1….
Diabetic Foot Q&A by Dr Arun Bal
Dr. Arun Bal is one of the most prominent diabetologists in India. He is a diabetic foot surgeon at Raheja Hospital, Mumbai. He is also the President of Diabetic Foot Society of India. The following Q&A dates back to 2007; however the issues addressed are equally relevant today. Q I am a 55 year-old…
Jan Aushadhi Scheme for Low Cost Generic Medicines
What is it The government of India plans to sell generic medicines at low prices under the “Jan Aushadhi” brand. Already, there are more than a 100 Jan Aushadhi outlets set up at District Hospitals since the program was started in 2008. Making the brand available in regular pharmacies will greatly increase the reach of…
eDura – an elastic spine implant
A team at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale in Lausanne, Switzerland has announced the development of flexible spinal implants that could help paralysed people walk again. The implant is called the eDura for “electronic dura mater”. The dura mater is the soft connective tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. Traditional implants are more rigid…
First new antibiotic in 30 years
The Antimicrobial Discovery Center at Northeastern University in Boston, US announced the discovery of Teixobactin, the first new class of antibiotics in nearly 30 years. The discovery is a breakthrough because bacteria are increasingly becoming resistant to existing antibiotics. The rampant misuse and overuse of antibiotics has been blamed for this increasing bacterial resistance. Also, pharmaceutical companies had…
100% FDI In Medical Devices in India
Today, the Indian Cabinet has approved 100% FDI in Medical Devices in India. Till now, FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) in this sector required FIPB (Foreign Investment Promotion Board) approval. The need for FIPB approval led to long delays in getting foreign funding. The definition of a Medical Device is broad and includes  “instrument, apparatus, appliance, implant, reagent,…
Calicut Medical College – Antibiotics Protocol
As per an article in Deccan Chronicle, the Kerala State Government plans to have an Standard Operating Procedure for prescription of antibiotics. This is to ensure that narrow-spectrum antibiotics are tried before broad-spectrum ones, based on grading of patients on the seriousness of their infections. This will prevent the development of antimicrobial resistance. Already, the…
WHO Report on AMR
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a comprehensive report on Superbugs, highlighting the problem of AntiMicrobial Resistance (AMR). Significant points: 1. No major types of antibiotics discovered in the last 30 years 2. This report covers data from 114 countries – high levels of resistance found in all parts of the world 2. Without…
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