Health

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) A simple wearable device like a smartwatch or a fitness tracker may help revolutionise pregnancy care and easily detect abnormalities.Scientists at Scripps Research have found preliminary evidence suggesting that common wearable devices such as the Apple Watch, Garmin, and Fitbit could remotely monitor pregnancy-related health changes by tracking physiological patterns -- like heart rate -- that correlate with hormonal fluctuations.“Wearable devices offer a unique opportunity to develop innovative solutions that address the high number of adverse pregnancy outcomes in the US,” said co-senior author Giorgio Quer, the director of artificial intelligence and assistant professor of Digital Medicine at Scripps Research.“Our results show that signals collected via wearab...

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Long-term use of artificial sweeteners or low- and no-calorie sweeteners, used mainly by people with diabetes, can lead to cognitive decline, claimed a study.Researchers from the Universidade de São Paulo, Brazil, analysed 12,000 patients who use common artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, xylitol, erythritol, sorbitol, tagatose, and acesulfame K.The results, published in the Neurology journal, found that people who consumed the highest amounts had the greatest declines – 62 per cent -- in thinking and memory, as compared to those who consumed less.The declines amounted to 1.6 years of additional brain ageing.“We know sugar and sugar substitutes raise the risk of diabetes and malignancies. They are also linked to brain vascular cell dysfunction,” Dr....

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Kerala is set to organise a two-day national workshop to strengthen digital solutions in Ayush sector, the Ministry of Ayush said on Saturday.The workshop will be held from September 18-19 in Kottayam.“The workshop is envisaged as a collaborative platform to strengthen digital solutions in the Ayush sector and move towards a comprehensive, centralised, and interoperable digital framework. The framework is aimed at ensuring standardisation, avoiding duplication, promoting scalability, enhancing evidence-based policymaking, and improving citizen-centric service delivery,” the Ministry said.The workshop is set to witness participation from senior officials of the Ministry of Ayush, Ministers and senior administrators from States and Union Territories, Mission Director...

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Social media may be driving negative opinion on contraceptive pills, leading to women discontinuing birth control drugs within two years of starting them, according to a study.Researchers at the University of Sheffield identified a “nocebo effect” in relation to the contraceptive pill, where psychological factors such as negative expectations or anxiety about using a medicine drives a physical response in the body when the medicine is taken.Nocebo responses to the oral contraceptive pill are real and can include feelings of depression, anxiety, and fatigue. The nocebo effect is the “evil twin” to the placebo effect, where people get a positive boost from taking a dummy tablet or pill.The team highlighted that many women switch to alternative but less effective form...

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Even after being preventable and treatable, cholera continues as a global health problem with 31 countries reporting outbreaks in 2025, according to a new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday.The report showed that despite treatment being available, deaths due to the disease rose by 50 per cent in 2024 compared to 2023. For the second consecutive year, more than 6000 people have died from the disease, while cases rose by 5 per cent.While the numbers are alarming, they are underestimates of the true burden of cholera, stated the reportCholera is a disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, which spreads rapidly through faeces-contaminated water.“Conflict, climate change, population displacement, and long-term deficiencies in water, sanitat...

Mumbai, Sep 13 (IANS) Shares of US pharma giants fell over 3 per cent following reports indicating that the US health administration officials intend to associate coronavirus vaccines with the deaths of 25 children.Pfizer's stock declined by over 3 per cent, Moderna's fell by more than 7 per cent, and Novavax decreased by more than 4 per cent overnight.The selloff occurred after reports indicated that the claim will be presented next week to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) vaccine advisory panel, which determines US immunisation policy.The American health officials plan to cite paediatric deaths flagged in the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a federal database of unverified self-reports regarding vaccine side effects, according to a report by The W...

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) The Association of Indian Medical Device Industry (AiMeD) on Saturday welcomed the timely directions issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) and the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) to ensure smooth implementation of the revised GST rates on drugs, formulations, and medical devices, effective from September 22.The Office Memorandum issued by DoP-NPPA on Friday clarified that while manufacturers and marketers are required to revise Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) to reflect reduced GST, recalling or re-labelling of existing stock already released in the market will not be mandatory, provided price compliance is ensured at the retailer level.CDSCO has further permitted the use of stickering o...

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) The Pharmacopoeia Commission for Indian Medicine and Homoeopathy has conducted a Capacity-Building Training Programme to enhance regulation and quality of Ayush drugs, the Ministry of Ayush said.The five-day programme, held from September 8 to 12 in Ghaziabad, aimed to strengthen the regulatory framework, quality assurance, and standardisation processes for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy drugs.The training brought together 27 participants from across India, representing regulatory bodies, research councils, pharmaceutical industries, and academic institutions.The comprehensive sessions were designed to equip Drug Enforcement Officers, Quality Control Personnel, and drug manufacturers with advanced knowledge and hands-on experience in pharmacopoeial standa...

New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) With 75,000 health camps across the country, the upcoming Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan aims to address the health and nutritional needs of mother and child.The campaign will be launched by PM Narendra Modi on his 75th birthday, which falls on September 17. It will run till October 2.The 75,000 health camps will be organised at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, Community Health Centres, and healthcare centres in the country. The health camps will provide essential services specifically designed to address the healthcare needs of women and children.“Women’s health is the strength of every household! As part of the Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan from 17th September to 2nd October 2025, 75,000 health camps are being held at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and Community ...

New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) Having a state Palliative Care Policy is crucial to strengthen healthcare and also reduce costs for patients in Delhi, according to a health experts on Friday.Palliative care is a branch of medicine that aims to prevent and relieve the physical, social, and spiritual suffering of patients suffering from chronic life-limiting illnesses and their caregivers.“A palliative care policy in Delhi can streamline resources, integrate fragmented health systems, and ensure systematic funding,” Parth Sharma, Department of Community Medicine, Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi, told IANS.“I request the policymakers of Delhi to consider creating a regional policy. This will make Delhi the first region in North India to have its own palliative care policy. It will also help ...