A ban on branded drugs stands to cut 'Big Pharma' out of the $5.4-bn windfall

India has put in place a $5.4 billion policy to provide free medicine to its people, a decision that could change the lives of hundreds of millions, but a ban on branded drugs stands to cut Big Pharma out of the windfall. From city hospitals to tiny rural clinics, India's public doctors will soon be able to prescribe free generic drugs to all comers, vastly expanding access to medicine in a country where public spending on health was just $4.50 per person last year.

New Delhi Stiff opposition from research organisations on how clinical trial victims should be compensated has dealt a blow to health ministry’s efforts to legislate the matter. The ministry was on the brink of making it mandatory for pharmaceutical companies sponsoring clinical trials to pay up financial compensation to volunteers in case a trial-related death or injury is proved.

Under the proposed law, the onus of proving that clinical trials did not cause death or injury, was expected to lie with the drug company. Failure to pay up the compensation within a specified time would have not only led to suspension or cancellation of the ongoing trials,

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday launched the World Health Organisation’s new country cooperation strategy with India (2012-17) paving the way for a strategic partnership in the global health scene.

“In the context of the opportunities and challenges we face, the well being of Indian citizens will depend on a number of strategic choices related to health and equity that must be made in the next few years. Not only our health, but our children’s health too depends on these strategic choices and the collaboration between the critical constituents of our health system,’’ said the Minister.

The government is all set to notify new pictorial warning for the tobacco products. A truncated torso with a diseased lung will replace the controversial blurred image that appeared to be resembling England footballer John Terry as pictorial warning on the cigarette packs.

According to a senior official in the health ministry, the image has been approved by the Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and is expected to be notified soon. The manufacturers, officials say, will be given six months time to make changes and come out with the new pictorial warning in their products.

According to a provision by the Directorate-General of Health Services, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, every drug, even if marketed internationally, is required to undergo a clinical tria

With “gutka” consumption in the State assuming ominous proportions and the younger generation getting increasingly addicted to tobacco, a “tobacco-free” Uttar Pradesh is high on the agenda of the Akhilesh Yadav Government. Chief Secretary Javed Usmani said on Thursday that an action plan would be formulated for making UP tobacco-free.

Presiding over a meeting of “Campaign of Tobacco Free Kids” here, Mr. Usmani directed senior officials of the State Health, Education, Home and Tax departments to formulate separate plans for curbing the use of tobacco.

Energy drinks in India will have to strip off their “energy” tag and instead be renamed as “caffeinated beverage”. According to new standards being laid down by the Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI), such beverages must also carry a safety warning for consumers stating that such drinks are not recommended for “children, pregnant or lactating women, persons sensitive to caffeine and sportspersons” as well as “no more than two cans to be consumed per day”.

FSSAI decided to tighten rules in the energy-drink sector after health concerns related to the high caffeine content of non-alchoholic, caffeinated drinks were raised almost two years ago. At their recent meeting, the FSSAI finalised the new standards for such drinks.

Leading pharma companies including GlaxoSmithkline, Pfizer and Ranbaxy sell commonly used drugs at a rate 10 times the cost of production, a study by the Corporate Affairs Ministry has found.

A study by the Cost Audit branch of the MCA found drugs like Calpol manufactured by Glaxosmithkline, Corex Cough Syrup by Pfizer, Revital by Ranbaxy Global, Omez by Dr Reddy's Labs, Azithral by Alembic and several others were being sold at a mark up of up to 1,123 per cent over the cost of production.

Such advertisements are everywhere, argues Delhi Metro Rail Corporation

Responding to a letter issued by an anti-tobacco advocacy group on depiction of indirect tobacco advertisements at various metro stations, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation has said such advertisements are everywhere and “the rules cannot be different for the metro”.“We do not permit advertisements of tobacco and alcohol products within metro premises, but the letter sent to us was in regard to surrogate advertising,