Regulating cigarettes like drugs will raise the bar on the quality of evidence behind industry claims for 'healthier' cigarettes.

People had better stop smoking

K. Srinath Reddy

Since matters of health are substantially influenced by policies and programmes followed in other sectors, all the Ministries of government must play an active role in advancing health goals.

Growth curves are an essential tool in pediatric practice. Their value resides in helping to determine the degree to which physiological needs for growth and development are being met during the important childhood period. However, their usefulness goes far beyond assessing children

In the context of growing recognition of health as a vital component of human capital and the need for evolving sustainable health care system (HCS), an epidemiologic study was conducted in an area in rural AP in 2006. The empirical results show a higher level of sickness than at the state level and poor access and utilisation of existing HCF.

Seven women die every day in Orissa due to pregnancy-related causes. The Union government's Janani Surakshya Yojana (JSY) is a scheme which seeks to prevent maternal mortality, but it is feeble.

India is an increasingly influential player in the global pharmaceutical market. Key parts of the drug regulatory system are controlled by the states, each of which applies its own standards for enforcement, not always consistent with others. A pilot study was conducted in two major cities in India, Delhi and Chennai, to explore the question/hypothesis/extent of substandard and counterfeit drugs available in the market and to discuss how the Indian state and federal governments could improve drug regulation and more importantly regulatory enforcement to combat these drugs.

The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Friday decided to extend the National Health Insurance Scheme to the remaining 10 districts covering the entire State during the current financial year. The schemes provides for free insurance cover of Rs 30,000 to Rs 2,98,291 for Below Poverty Line (BPL) families and is funded by the Centre and the State in the ratio of 75:25.

Throughout the world, as use of manufactured cigarettes has dropped, the tobacco industry has taken steps to diversify its product offerings with the overall goal of assuring a steady market of nicotine addicted people.

Bidis and smokeless tobacco are the cheapest, least taxed and most commonly used tobacco products in India. They are highly addictive and high in carcinogens. They cause a broad spectrum of diseases; yet awareness about their ill-effects is low. Smokeless tobacco products containing arecanut, e.g. gutka and mawa, are especially addictive and carcinogenic.

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