1 December, 2015

Can we imagine a world without AIDS

The world has halted and reversed the spread of HIV. Since the year 2000, new infections have fallen by 35% and AIDS-related deaths by 24%. Close to 16 million people are now receiving antiretroviral treatment. In WHO South-East Asia Region, new infections declined by 32% between 2000 and 2014. Almost 1.3 million people are on antiretroviral treatment (ART). However, gaps remain. More than half of the people with HIV are unaware of their status. Those who test, do so late when they have symptoms and their immune systems are already compromised. Only 36% of the people living with HIV in the Region are on treatment; and fewer than 30% of people with HIV are able to get to the last point when HIV virus multiplication in their body is suppressed which is essential to prevent further transmission.  

The new Sustainable Development Agenda includes the target of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 – by reducing the number of new infections by an additional 25% by 2020; ensuring that 90% of people living with HIV are aware of their infection and 90% of them are on ART, and 90% of those on ART have no detectable virus in their blood. Bold actions will be required to achieve the target for ending AIDS by 2030, with the health sector playing a central role. Countries need to prioritize HIV interventions to get the highest impact. This includes using newer approaches for testing like community based HIV testing, ensuring that all HIV positive people are started on treatment and those identified negative, especially who are at risk have access to HIV prevention and re-testing services.

The new targets are ambitious but achievable! By the end of 2014, Thailand had tested and enrolled more than 60% of its people living with HIV into treatment. It is one of ten countries in the world to have achieved this distinction. Many other countries in the Region can and must accelerate and scale up HIV testing and treatment programmes. Efforts over the next five years will decide whether we will end AIDS by 2030 or face resurgence. In over four decades of the epidemic, science, social mobilization, political commitment and coordinated response among key stakeholders have made it possible to end AIDS. History shall not be kind to us if we become complacent now. Ending AIDS will require investments, but these will be worthwhile. Countries in the Region are leading the way in funding HIV response through domestic budgets, but more remains to be done. We need to ensure that HIV response is firmly positioned in the development and health agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to ensure that community responses are not only sustained, but further scaled up and fully funded. Stigma, discrimination and punitive laws still hamper access to key services for those most in need. We need to reaffirm and renew our resolve to work towards realizing our goal of ending AIDS in the WHO South-East Asia Region by 2030.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com                  30.11.2015

Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend

Albert Camus

30 November, 2015

Sugar-free drinks equally bad for teeth

If you have switched to sugar-free drinks to avoid tooth decay, don't be rest assured that you have got rid of the problem. Even sugar-free drinks and foods may kick-off tooth decay, dentists have warned. 

The researchers from University of Melbourne tested 23 different types of drinks, including soft drinks and sports drinks. 

They found drinks that contain acidic additives and those with low pH levels cause measurable damage to dental enamel, even if the drink is sugar-free, Daily Mail reported. 

The cocktail of chemicals and acids in sugar-free food and drinks can have the same impact, wearing away at the teeth, researchers from University of Melbourne said. 

"Many people are not aware that while reducing your sugar intake doesn't reduce your risk of dental decay. The chemical mix of acids in some foods and drinks can cause the equally damaging condition of dental erosion," lead researcher Eric Reynolds was quoted as saying. 

Dental erosion occurs when acid dissolves the hard tissues of the tooth. In its early stages, erosion strips away the surface layers of tooth enamel. 

Researchers measured dental enamel softening and tooth surface loss following exposure to a range of drinks. 

They found that the majority of soft drinks and sports drinks caused softening of dental enamel by 30 percent to 50 percent. 

Both sugar-containing and sugar-free soft drinks (including flavoured mineral waters) produced measurable loss of the tooth surface, with no significant difference between the two groups of drinks, the study found. 

"We have even found sugar-free confectionery products that are labelled 'tooth-friendly' and which when tested were found to be erosive," Reynolds said. 

Source: www.timesofindia.com

30.11.2015

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly

Robert F. Kennedy

27 November, 2015

This is how living in a polluted city affects diabetic women

Pollution increases the risk of heart disease in diabetic women says a new study!

According to a new study, diabetic women, who are exposed to air pollution, may have a much higher risk for heart disease, according to a long-term. Although studies have shown that people with diabetesare particularly vulnerable to the cardiovascular effects of acute exposures to air pollution, this study is one of the first to demonstrate high risks of cardiovascular disease among individuals with diabetes with long-term exposures to particulate matter, said lead author Jaime E. Hart from Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts.  

While all women had small increased risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) with more air pollution exposure, the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke among women with diabetes for each 10 micrograms per cubic meter of air was 44 percent for CVD (66 percent for stroke) for smallest size pollution; 17 percent for CVD (18 percent for stroke) for road dust-type larger size pollution; and 19 percent for CVD (23 percent for stroke) for exposure to both sizes of pollution. Researchers also found higher effects of air pollution among women 70 and older, obese women and women who lived in the northeast or south. ‘It is important to identify these subgroups, so that pollution standards can be developed that protect them,’ Hart said.

The study is published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

27.11.2015

  

Life is full of "presents"

 if YOU are in the present

Gordana Biernat

26 November, 2015

3D MRI can spot stroke risk in diabetic patients

People with diabetes may be harbouring advanced vascular disease that could increase their risk of stroke, researchers warn. 

The findings suggest that arterial imaging with 3D MRI could be useful in helping to determine stroke risk among diabetics. The carotid arteries are vessels on each side of the neck that supply oxygenated blood to the head. 

Narrowing of the carotid arteries is associated with risk of stroke but less is known about stroke risk in people with little or no narrowing of these arteries. 

For the new study, the team used 3D MRI to study the carotid arteries for evidence of intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH), an indicator of advanced atherosclerotic disease. 

"A recent analysis has shown that people with carotid artery narrowing and IPH have a five- to six-times higher risk of stroke in the near future compared to people without," explained study author Tishan Maraj, imaging analyst at Sunnybrook Research Institute in Toronto. 

Dr. Maraj and colleagues focused their study on people with diabetes. 

Of the 159 patients imaged, 37 (23.3 percent) had IPH in at least one carotid artery. 

Five of the 37 patients had IPH in both carotid arteries. 

IPH was found in the absence of carotid artery narrowing and was associated with an increased carotid artery wall volume as measured by 3D MRI. "It was surprising that so many diabetic patients had this feature. So perhaps IPH is an early indicator of stroke risk that should be followed up," Dr Maraj added. 

Although there is no treatment for IPH at this time, Dr Maraj said identification of it may help with risk stratification and could even have applications in the non-diabetic population. 

"Even though you can't treat IPH, you can monitor patients a lot more closely," he concluded. 

The new research will be presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). 

Source: www.timesofindia.com

26.11.2015

If it doesn’t challenge you,

 it doesn’t change you

Fred DeVito

25 November, 2015

Teenage girls with more tattoos at high-suicide risk

New York: Call it an irony but teenage girls with four or more tattoos may show off a higher self-esteem to their friends and relatives but they are also at a high suicide risk, claim researchers.

The team from Texas Tech University found that college-going women with multiple tattoos report higher levels of self-esteem and the same multi-tattooed women also report a much higher frequency of past suicide attempts.

Some interesting emotional correlations emerged among college-age respondents with four or more tattoos, they noted.

Women with four or more tattoos were the group that showed the team the only two interesting connections.

"They had a much higher suicide attempt history and paradoxically, it was this same group that showed an increased level of self-esteem," said lead study author Jerome Koch from Texas Tech University.

In his earlier research, Koch and his team found that four or more tattoos, seven or more body piercings or piercings in private body parts were significantly more likely to report regular marijuana use, occasional use of other illegal drugs and a history of being arrested for a crime.

"We know women sometimes replace a surgically removed breast with elegant body art. We wonder if more tattoos might be a way of reclaiming a sense of self in the wake of an emotional loss -- evidenced by a suicide attempt," Koch stated.

"But I think the logic holds when linking suicide survivors and breast cancer survivors who might use tattoos when reclaiming an emotional or physical loss," Koch concluded.

The study is forthcoming in the Social Science Journal.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

25.11.2015

The only thing worse than being blind is having sight and no vision

Helen Keller

24 November, 2015

Here’s why the number of premature births in the country is on a steep rise

India accounts for the highest number of premature birth in the world with over three lakh babies losing their lives to complications annually,  according to a 2013 report by the  Indian Foundation of Premature Babies titled Delivered Too Soon. To create awareness on various complications of premature birth, the IFPB and National Neonatology Forum (NNF), Mumbai organised an interactive session for parents of babies born prematurely in the city. With over 281 premature babies with their parents present at the event, it was the largest gathering of premature babies.

Shedding some light on the factors that lead to premature birth,Neonatalogist at Sion Hospital Dr Jayashree Mondkar said that stress and today women are more career oriented have to work late night shifts, they also have stressed work life and even tend to have babies later in life. This also contributes to a poor nutrition in women which is also a major reason for the birth of premature babies. Apart from this she also explained that if the mother is born premature, there are high chances that her baby is born premature too.

Another important reason why the number of premature births is high in the country is the perception of women in the Indian society. Dr Ruchi Nanavati, Head of Neonatology, KEM Hospital, DrRuchi Nanavati said that the attitude of the society towards the girl child should change. Families should look towards improving the nutrition  of the girl child and  her health should be given as much importance as that is given to the male child in the family. She pointed out that 60-70% women in India are anaemic and their health should be og utmost importance.

Pointing out another important factor for premature birth, Dr Sushma Malik, Incharge Neonatology Department of Pediatrics, Nair Hospital, Mumbai said that multiple pregnancies due to assisted reproduction techniques like IVF are also a major cause of premature births. She explained that during multiple pregnancies, the foetuses don’t get enough nutrition which results in pre-term birth and low birth weight babies.

Dr KP Sanghvi, Consultant Neonatologist and Pediatrician, highlighted the importance of preventing localised infections in mothers which can threaten labour and increase the risk of premature birth. He also said that septicemia is one of  the biggest killers during pregnancy. He also said that premature babies can develop various complications like Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS), eye problems and cerebral palsy. Hence, it is important to attend regular check-ups and take your doctor’s advice seriously.  

Other eminent experts at the session were Dr Nandkishore Kabra, Paediatrician, Surya Children’s Hospital and Dr Vinay Joshi, Consultant- Neonatalogy, Kokilaben Hospital.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

24.11.2015

As is our confidence, so is our capacity

William Hazlitt

23 November, 2015

Why women live longer than men?

Explaining why women live longer than men across the world, vulnerability to heart disease is the biggest culprit behind a surge in higher death rates for men during the 20th century, says a study.

According to the team led by University of Southern California, as infectious disease prevention, improved diets and other positive health behaviors were adopted by people born during the 1800s and early 1900s, death rates plummeted but women began reaping the longevity benefits at a much faster rate.

"In the wake of this massive but uneven decrease in mortality, a review of global data points to heart disease as the culprit behind most of the excess deaths documented in adult men," said Eileen Crimmins, professor of gerontology.

"We were surprised at how the divergence in mortality between men and women, which originated as early as 1870, was concentrated in the 50 to 70 age range and faded out sharply after age 80," Crimmins said.

For the study, the team examined the lifespan of people born between 1800 and 1935 in 13 developed nations.

Focusing on mortality in adults over the age of 40, the team found that in individuals born after 1880, female death rates decreased 70 percent faster than those of males.

Even when the researchers controlled for smoking-related illnesses, cardiovascular disease appeared to still be the cause of the vast majority of excess deaths in adult men over 40 for the same time period.

"Surprisingly, smoking accounted for only 30 percent of the difference in mortality between the sexes after 1890," Crimmins added.

Further research can analyze diet and exercise activity differences between countries, deeper examination of genetics and biological vulnerability between sexes at the cell level and the relationship of these findings to brain health at later ages.

The paper appeared in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

23.11.2015

Success is where preparation and opportunity meet

Bobby Unser

21 November, 2015

Cardiologists open blocked heart artery with the help of Google Glass

In a world’s first, a group of cardiologists has successfully used the eye-wearable device Google Glass to guide the opening up of a chronically blocked right coronary artery in the cardiac cath lab. Cardiologists from the Institute of Cardiology, Warsaw, Poland’s capital city, successfully restored blood flow in the occluded right coronary artery of a 49-year-old male patient assisted by Google Glass with an optical head-mounted display. The display of 3D computed tomographic reconstructions in a mobile application equipped with a hands-free voice recognition system and a zoom function enabled the physician-operators to clearly visualise the distal coronary vessel. It helped them verify the direction of the guide wire advancement relative to the course of the blocked vessel segment.

The procedure was completed successfully with implantation of two drug-eluting stents. ‘This case demonstrates the novel application of wearable devices for display of data sets in the catheterisation lab that can be used for better planning and guidance of interventional procedures,’ said lead investigator Maksymilian P Opolski from the Institute of Cardiology. ‘It also provides proof of concept that wearable devices can improve operator comfort and procedure efficiency in interventional cardiology,’ Opolski added. Google Glass, consists of a wearable, hands-free computer with an optical head-mounted display worn by interventional cardiologists in the catheterisation laboratory.

The optical head-mounted display can show and capture images and videos while interacting with the surrounding environment. This display is an example of the concept of virtual reality in which the user is supplemented with additional information generated by the device. ‘Mobile technology offers an incremental opportunity to expand the existing open platform for mobile applications, which overcome the economic and capacity limitations of advanced angiography systems with dedicated monitors for projection of Computed tomography angiography (CTA) data sets,’ Dr Opolski pointed out. Furthermore, wearable devices might be potentially equipped with filter lenses that provide protection against X-radiation. Several medical specialties are already using it to train physicians and assist diagnosis and it also has potential for treatment, said the report published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

21.11.2015

It is better to create than to learn! Creating is the essence of life

Gaius Julius Caesar

20 November, 2015

Soon, blood test can be used to detect cancer

The day when cancer can be detected by a simple blood test instead of a painful biopsy is not too far. 

"Cancer fields are similar to magnetic fields. If a cell is affected by cancer, the surrounding cells and blood will bear the cancer signature.That's what we are trying to use to ascertain the presence of cancer using a mathematical algorithm," said Asoke Talukder, co-founder of Interpretomics, a data sciences and systems biology company, which is do ing cancer research. "I am not a biologist but a mathematician. Our research is based on a cohort study conducted in Delhi," Talukder told TOI on the sidelines of a global cancer summit in Bengaluru on Wednesday. He said his research aims to provide accurate and complete information to an oncologist.

"If we can build a 'compass' that will sense the 'cancer field', we will be able to detect the presence of cancer.Then there would be no need for tissue biopsy. According to cancer biology, tumour signatures are present in ad jacent cells. Our hypothesis is that if tumour signatures are present in noncancerous cells, the DNA of peripheral blood will carry some of these tumour signatures," he explained. This test will be called a blood biopsy.

Dr GK Rath, head of medical oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, told the gathering that 70% of cancer can be cured if detected early. "About 40% of cancers are due to tobacco consumption, 20% due to infection and 10% due to lifestyle. All these can be prevented by a healthy lifestyle," he said.

DOCS AWARDED

At the summit, five doctors were presented the Edward Kennedy Memorial Awards for their research in cancer.Dr Jaydip Biswas, director, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute; Dr Prabha Sampath, principal investigator, A Star Institute, Singapore; Dr Raghuram, founder, Ushalakshmi Breast Cancer Foundation; Dr HR Nagendra, Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana and Dr M R Rajagopal, founder and chairman of Pallium India, received the awards.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

20.11.2015

Success is a side effect of doing the right things in the right time

Andre Hawit

19 November, 2015

Indoor air pollution causing more deaths than outdoor: Experts

Indoor air pollution is causing more deaths than outdoor air pollution and needs to be addressed with an integrated approach to increase the access to clean fuel in the country, leading environment experts Wednesday said.

They called to form a community of researchers who can come together to draw a roadmap for reducing air pollution in the country, particularly in the national capital, which has been rated as the most-polluted city in the world by WHO.

Speaking at a panel discussion on 'Your Breath Your Health' at the American Center here, Lesley Onyon, Region Advisor, WHO, said that approximately 40 per cent of all the diseases burden can be attributed to household air pollution.

She said that the government needs to improve the access to cleaner fuels like LPG and CNG to deal with indoor air pollution as more than 60 per cent of the household are still dependent on solid fuel combustion.

"As much as 81 per cent of the rural households use dirty fuels like wood for cooking, and in urban areas it is 20 per cent, making the national average of 64 per cent.

"The government needs to take long-term measures to deal with air pollution in the country, which includes increasing access to cleaner fuel as 64 per cent of the households use solid fuel combustion as a primary source of cooking," she said.

Onyon said that Health Ministry will have to play an effective role in reducing air pollution with strong coordination and integration of local and national health policies.

The World Health Assembly in their resolution had highlighted the key role that health authorities needed to make in raising the awareness about the potential to save lives and reducing health costs if air pollution was to be addressed effectively.

The Health authorities should resolve for strong cooperation between different sectors and integration of health concerns into all regional, local and national health policies," she said.

Parthaa Basu, Indian Director and South Asian Liaison, Clean Air Asia, said that indoor air pollution is also caused by biological material and consumer products like mosquito repellents, incense sticks and deodorants.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

19.11.2015

Short winter days make women aggressive?

 New York: Now you know why your spouse or girlfriend suddenly gets hostile towards you as winter settles in. According to fascinating research, a hormonal mechanism may trigger aggression in females -- and not males -- during short winter days.

The hormone called melatonin acts directly on the adrenal glands in females to trigger a “seasonal aggression switch” from hormones in the gonads to hormones in the adrenal glands -- a major contrast to how this mechanism works in males,” explained Nikki Rendon, PhD student of biology from Indiana University.

The work on hamsters (rodents), which advances basic knowledge about the connection between certain sex hormones and aggression, could go on to advance research on the treatment of inappropriate aggression in humans. "This study reveals a ripe area for research," Rendon added.

Melatonin is a hormone that rises in the body during darkness and lowers during daylight.

The hormone released from the adrenal gland is called DHEA - a sex steroid shown to affect aggression levels in mammals and birds and possibly humans. Professional sports competitions have banned the use of DHEA in athletes. Rendon and colleagues found that melatonin acts directly on the adrenal glands in females to trigger the release of DHEA, without the need for the pituitary hormone.

DHEA can be converted to androgens and estrogens, which affect aggression in both males and females. In females, DHEA appears to compensate for low levels of estradiol -- a form of estrogen -- that occurs during the winter. The research was conducted on Siberian hamsters, a species with an adrenal system similar to humans. About 130 hamsters were exposed to long days for a week, after which 45 were exposed to shorter days for 10 weeks.

The female hamsters exposed to shorter days had increased levels of both melatonin and DHEA -- and higher aggression scores -- along with physical changes in their adrenal glands. Females exposed to longer days did not experience these changes, the authors noted.

Collectively, the results show that melatonin is the primary regulator of aggression in females.

The study appeared in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Academy B.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

19.11.2015

He has not learned the lesson of life who does not overcome from fear

Gaius Julius Caesar

18 November, 2015

Diabetes & obesity can break your bones

A team of researchers has identified that bone in a ‘big boned’ diabetic is weaker. Obesity and type 2 diabetes have been linked to several health issues, including an increased risk of bone fractures. In the new rat study, University of Missouri researchers examined how the development of obesity and insulin resistance contribute to bone-fracture risk and whether exercise prevents weight gain and diabetes and protects bone health. 

They found obesity and type 2 diabetes negatively affected bone, but exercise prevented weight gain and diabetes and increased bone strength. These findings could inform interventions to improve bone health among individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes. Researchers once thought obesity was protective of bone because with more body mass, individuals have more bone mass; more bone mass typically decreases the risk of osteoporosis and associated fractures, said researcher Pam Hinton, adding that they have come to realize that the people with obesity and Type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of fractures. 

This study doesn’t explain how exercise increased bone quality, Hinton said. The animals in the exercise group were healthier; they didn’t develop the same insulin resistance and diabetes, which might explain why the bones of the exercising rats were healthier, Hinton said. The study appears in the journal Metabolism.

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

18.11.2015

What junk food does to your body in only seven days will shock you!

A new study has revealed that a junk food diet can damage your body in just a single week. In the study, six men were fed 6,000 calories a day of pizza, burgers and other junk food and it took only two days for their bodies to show signs of serious diseases, The Mirror reports. Out of the six men, three men were normal weight, three were overweight and none were obese or unhealthy. Throughout the study all the participants were on bed rest and in a week, they had gained an average of 3.5kg and started showing signs of insulin resistance.

Researchers found that insulin ­resistance was a key component totype-2 diabetes. Guenther Boden of Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia said their aim was to recreate the ‘average American’ diet and find out how it can lead to Type 2 diabetes. Boden said that it was a regular-American diet, composed of pizzas, hamburgers and that sort of thing. During the study, men gained an average of 3.5 kg and showed signs of insulin resistance as well as oxidative stress.  

Source: www.thehealthsite.com

18.11.2015

NEVER be surprised by your own success!

Steve Maraboli

17 November, 2015

Antibiotics: Handle with care

Every five minutes a child dies due to drug-resistant bacteria in the WHO South-East Asia Region. 

Drugs that were effective in treating deadly diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV, malaria etc. are increasingly losing their impact. Misuse and overuse of antibiotics is leading to antibiotic resistance which is emerging as the greatest public health threat.

Antibiotics are often not optimally prescribed - when not needed, or with incorrect choice of medicine or incorrect dosage. Self-medication is common with antibiotics freely available without a prescription. Failure to finish a course of antibiotics or taking them for too long, lack of regulations or standards for health care workers, and misuse and overuse in animal husbandry and agriculture, are factors adding to the increasing antibiotic resistance.

WHO is strongly advocating for urgent action to reverse the growing antibiotic resistance which is threatening to outpace the ability of antibiotics to cure dangerous infections. The consequences could be catastrophic. We are heading to an era when minor cuts might become life-threatening. Common infections that were treatable for decades may once again kill.

Countries in WHO South-East Asia Region signed a declaration in Jaipur in 2011 to prioritize action against antibiotic resistance.

The World Antibiotics Awareness week aims at raising awareness and promoting best practices among the general public, health professionals and policy makers to ensure judicious use of antibiotics to avoid further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Antibiotics continue to be a precious resource. They have saved millions of lives by treating serious bacterial infections. Let us together work to stop antibiotic resistance.

Source: www.timesofindia.com

17.11.2015

Cancer drugs, stents at 60% discount soon

Over 200 cancer drugs, 186 medicines to treat cardiovascular diseases and 148 stents and cardiac implants will now be available at central government hospitals at prices 50-60% lower than the open market.

The health ministry has launched a programme called AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment), under which the government will run pharmacy retail stores to sell medicines in hospitals like AIIMS, Safdarjung and Ram Manohar Lohia.

TOI was the first to report on September 19 that the health ministry was working on a project to make cancer medicines and stents available at substantial discounts by procuring them in bulk. The health ministry's AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) programme seeks to make treatment of critical diseases more affordable by bringing down the cost of medicine, which constitute a major part of the total health expenditure, mainly in case of tertiary care.

"This is certainly an innovative initiative. Patients can buy medicines and implants at rates 50-60% cheaper than open market from AMRIT outlet in AIIMS," health minister J P Nadda said while inaugurating the first store. "The government is pinning a lot of hope on it. We are exploring the possibility of scaling up the facility and also making it accessible to larger number of people in various parts of the country," he added.

Since the incidence of cancer and heart diseases is high and rapidly increasing in India, the government has chosen these two therapeutic categories for initial focus of the pragramme, an official said. In India, deaths from cancer have increased by 60% since 1990, according to the latest report `Global Burden of Cancer-2013', released worldwide on Friday. In 2013, there were 14.9 million new cancer cases registered worldwide, whereas 8.2 million people died due to the disease. Cardiovascular diseases are found to be the leading cause of death globally .

Source: www.timesofindia.com

17.11.2015

Don’t forget three rules for success : Never tell anyone everything you have, you know and you can do

16 November, 2015

Injection better cure for diabetic blindness

Washington: A new study has revealed that injection, instead of laser, may be a viable treatment option for diabetic retinopathy.

Among patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, treatment with an injection in the eye of the drug ranibizumab resulted in visual acuity that was not worse than panretinal photocoagulation at 2 years, according to the study.

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR; a more advanced form of the disease) is a leading cause of vision loss in patients with diabetes mellitus, resulting in 12,000 to 24,000 new cases of blindness each year in the United States.

When used as treatment of DME, intravitreous (in the vitreous, the fluid behind the lens in the eye) anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy worsening and increase the chance of improvement, making these agents a potentially viable PDR treatment.

"Although longer-term follow-up is needed, ranibizumab may be a reasonable treatment alternative at least through 2 years for patients with PDR," the authors write.

The study appears in JAMA.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

16.11.2015

Govt initiates steps to promote clinical research in India

New Delhi: In a new development, the government of India has introduced a series of steps that would help promote more clinical research in the country.

In its latest circular issued this week, the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) said if a new drug was already approved outside India after conducting pre-clinical/toxicological studies on animals, such studies are not required to be repeated while approving their proposal for import or manufacture in India unless some specific concerns are raised.

The move comes in wake of concerns raised by stakeholders which complained of repeat tests and data submissions to authorities in meetings held in August and October with top officials from the health ministry.

In another decision, the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has said that Ethics Committees can also approve requests for new clinical trial sites and new investigators to be added to a clinical trial without CDSCO’s approval as long as the ethics committees conduct “due diligence.”

As per the new norms, researchers will no longer need the permission of the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for “academic/research purposes that are non-regulatory in nature.” However, the Ethics Committee is still required to inform the DCGI of the study and the DCGI will have 30 days to object to the decision to not seek its approval.

Source: www.zeenews.india.com

16.11.2015

Inspiration moves one from Pessimism to Optimism, from Doubt to Faith, from Despair to Hope, and from Darkness to Light