Health

New Delhi, Nov 11 (IANS) The government on Wednesday proposed a comprehensive regulatory framework for provisional registration of eligible allied and healthcare professionals, with clearly defined pathways for skill upgradation, competency assessment and transition to regular registration.The proposed framework by the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions (NCAHP), under the Health Ministry, aims to bring greater uniformity, transparency and accountability to professional registration while creating structured opportunities for eligible practitioners to enhance their qualifications and competencies in accordance with prescribed standards.A key feature of the proposed regulations is the establishment of a transparent and standardised mechanism for provisional registratio...

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) The new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) set up under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) have recorded more than 6 crore Outpatient Department (OPD) consultations over the past five years, the government said on Tuesday.According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the cumulative OPD consultations at the new AIIMS stood at around 6.01 crore between 2021-22 and October 2026. The government said the achievement reflects the expanding reach of these institutions and their contribution to bringing affordable tertiary healthcare closer to people in different regions."The growing utilisation of these institutions is reflected in the year-wise OPD figures. Consultations increased from 50.03 lakh in 2021-22 to 77.95 lakh in 2022-2...

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) The Vardhman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital recorded 71 new Diwali-related burn injury cases on November 9, taking the total number of such cases to 206 during the three-day period from November 7 to 9.According to a statement issued by the hospital, of the 71 cases reported on November 9, 68 were caused by firecracker-related injuries, while three were related to diya burns.The cumulative figures for the three-day period indicate that 197 of the 206 injuries were caused by firecrackers, while nine resulted from diya burns.The hospital said it continues to provide appropriate medical care to all affected patients and emphasised the importance of public awareness, responsible celebrations and adherence to fire safety precautions to prevent burn in...

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) US health regulators have ordered a new safety warning for widely used weight-loss and diabetes medicines, including Ozempic and Wegovy, after identifying a rare eye condition that can lead to severe and potentially permanent vision loss.The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the warning will be added to the labels of all glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonist drugs, a class of medicines used to treat obesity, type 2 diabetes and other health conditions.The warning relates to non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a condition caused by reduced blood flow to the optic nerve. The disorder can result in sudden vision impairment and, in some cases, permanent loss of sight.Moreover, the drug category includes some of the world's best...

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) India's vast pharmaceutical manufacturing network has emerged as a critical pillar of the US healthcare system, highlighting the challenges facing American President Donald Trump's efforts to bring generic drug production back to the United States, according to a report.A report by The Star highlighted a manufacturing facility operated by a leading pharmaceuticals firm in Hyderabad, nearly 1,900 workers produce more than 100 generic medicines, ranging from cholesterol and allergy treatments to antidepressants.The plant manufactures close to one billion oral doses every month with roughly three-quarters of output destined for the US market, it added.The scale of India's generic drug industry has made the country indispensable to global medicine supplies.Generic medi...

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) Mushroom cultivation can extend beyond an additional farm activity to become a pathway for livelihood diversification and entrepreneurship, according to a government factsheet on Tuesday.When supported by appropriate training, technical guidance, and productive infrastructure, it can help farmers make better use of limited land and resources while creating opportunities for additional income.With growing interest in healthier diets, mushroom cultivation is gaining importance in India’s horticulture sector and offers scope for further growth. Mushrooms are valued for their nutritional profile, being generally low in calories, fat, and carbohydrates while providing protein, dietary fibre, vitamins, and minerals. They can be cultivated with limited land and in rural, ...

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) Clinical scientists have raised further alarm over Eternal founder Deepinder Goyal’s wearable device called ‘Temple’, calling for regulators to scrutinise claims surrounding the device.They accused Goyal of allegedly misrepresenting the science behind Temple, the Rs 85,000 wearable device.Clinical scientists reviewed the scientific material published on Temple's website but found “zero evidence” demonstrating that the device measures what it claims.The wearable can capture only heart rate and blood flow to the scalp through the temporal artery, they argued.Meanwhile, Goyal thanked the social media community and doctors for their criticism, saying it gives him “much needed clarity on what we need to explain better”.He stressed that social media is not the regulator f...

New Delhi, Nov 9 (IANS) The government on Monday said revised prices of 1,364 anti-cancer drug formulations have come into effect, with consumers expected to save an estimated Rs 3,540.38 crore annually following a cap on trade margins for 137 anti-cancer drugs.The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, has capped trade margins on the maximum retail price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs based on recommendations of an expert committee constituted by the Directorate General of Health Services on October 17, 2026.According to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, 85 pharmaceutical companies had reported revised MRPs for 1,364 anti-cancer formulations covering 121 drugs as of November 8.Of these, 679 brands reported price reductions of mo...

New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) The controversy surrounding Deepinder Goyal's health-tech wearable Temple has intensified after hepatologist Dr Cyriac Abby Philips, popularly known as The Liver Doc, questioned podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia's public support for the device and urged him to disclose his financial interests in the startup.Reacting to Allahbadia's post on social media platform X, The Liver Doc highlighted the importance of transparency, writing, "Hello Ranveer, it is also prudent and ethical to disclose your interests.""Hello Ranveer, it is also prudent and ethical to disclose your interests. Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) is an angel investor in Temple, the health-tech and AI wearable startup founded by Deepinder Goyal," he stated. "While the exact decimal percentage of Ranveer Allahb...

Islamabad, Nov 8 (IANS) Despite Pakistan having the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act in place since 2010, which provides for prison sentences of up to 10 years for violations, illegal organ-trafficking networks continue to exploit loopholes in healthcare supply chains, medical laboratories and regulatory institutions, according to a report.The illicit organ trade in Pakistan has reportedly evolved into a lucrative underground business, with investigators alleging that human organs are at the centre of transactions involving financially distressed donors, recipients willing to pay large sums, intermediaries and medical facilitators, the report by Daily Mirror said.The illegal networks allegedly take advantage of vulnerable individuals while generating substantial profits fo...