Restrains Centre from giving effect to nearly 25 provisions of the Legislation

Bhubaneswar: Health and family welfare minister Prasanna Acharya on Saturday said that the state government has decided to strengthen the infrastructure of the drugs control administration to ensur

Pharma cos worried that the dept is moving away from its stance on pricing of essential drugs.

India on Wednesday launched its first indigenously manufactured anti-malaria new-age drug Synriam. The drug, produced by Ranbaxy Laboratories, was formally introduced for marketing here.

The drug, launched by Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in the presence of Science and Technology Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, has been developed by the company in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology and supported by the Indian Council for Medical Research.

New Delhi: India has developed a powerful new malaria drug — an alternative to the global drug of choice Artemisinin — that promises to be a major boost to India’s pharmaceutical research.

The medical fraternity has taken a strong objection to ASHAs (Accredited Social Health Activists) dispensing strong antibiotics to few months old babies.

Nine lakhs ASHAs are now authorised to dispense co-trimoxazole and gentamicin to millions of babies born in rural India. Doctors point out that while co-trimoxazole can cause jaundice to babies less than two months old and subsequent brain dysfunction, gentamicin (an injectable) is toxic to both the kidneys and ears.

With reports of Nimesulide causing liver toxicity red-flagged, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has asked the manufacturers to add “box warning” on its label, suggesting that its use to be restricted to 10 days and if longer clinical use is necessary then liver function test should be assessed periodically. The health ministry had earlier last year banned the paediatric use of the analgesic Nimesulide after the sub committee of the government’s chief advisory body-the Drug Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) recommended for the same.

With the number of A-H1N1 (swine flu) cases increasing steadily, the Union Government on Wednesday said there was no cause for panic as the situation was well under control and being monitored.

An official in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare denied reports in a section of the media that the virus has mutated and is not curable.

With swine flu cases being reported from various parts of the country, the Delhi government on Tuesday said hospitals in the capital were prepared to deal with the virus.

"Delhi hospitals are well prepared for swine flu. Hospitals have been earmarked for swine flu patients," said Delhi Health Minister Ashok Walia.