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The well-organised Commerce Ministry is having a review to protect India’s pharmaceutical export market, according to The Hindu. Here’s the official reason for Anand Sharma summoning the group “to emphasise commitment to quality, safety and efficacy of Indian medicines, ways to promote ‘Brand India Pharma’ in important markets and the manner in which India can attain a …

Indian commerce minister’s summit on pharma export crises Read More »

I have to admit that I haven’t read the new Amartya Sen and Jean Drèze book yet but I plan to after seeing William Dalrymple’s review of it in the (UK) New Statesman.  (Sen is, of course, probably the greatest living development economist and Drèze is a naturalised Indian who used to advise Dr Manmohan Singh). …

India dragged down by failure to spend on health: new Amartya Sen book Read More »

According to the Global Innovation Index, India is only two ranks lower than its 2012 rank and four lower than its 2011 rank. The index is prepared by the World Intellectual Property Organisation, Cornell and INSEAD with Knowledge Partners, Booz & Company, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), du and Huawei. India ranked third amongst Lower Middle Income countries, first …

India still best country for innovation in South and Central Asia says global body Read More »

A report in The Hindu today says that Stanford modellers have concluded that, “Combining strong tobacco control policies with drug interventions that provided access to aspirin and medication to control blood pressure and cholesterol could prevent a third of all predicted deaths from heart attack and stroke between 2013 and 2022.” It notes — as …

Tripling taxes on tobacco would save 3 million Indians over next 10 years Read More »

First the UK regulator warned about “rogue” Wockhardt co-codamol that contained too much codeine. Now the MHRA has banned imports to Europe from one of the company’s Indian sites and so has the (US) FDA. Wockhardt has transferred production from the troubled Maharahtra facility and continues to supply Europe from other plants in India and …

Quality crisis worsens for Indian generics Read More »

An excellent BBC radio documentary looks at India’s  Unique Identity Scheme, known as UID or Aadhaar. Listen now — you only have until the 16th of July to listen online. Millions are queuing up to enroll but there is little legislation to regulate such a massive data collection exercise. The world is watching India’s great experiment …

Aadhar: India’s national identity scheme may revolutionise health delivery Read More »

“The private sector has enormous untapped capacity to help solve health problems in poor countries through innovative technology platforms; efficient manufacturing processes; the ability to validate business models and the viability of commercial products; and access to capital resources such as equipment and manufacturing plants,” writes Trevor Mundel, President of the Global Health Division of the Gates Foundation, on …

Gates Foundation sets out private sector plans in health @gateshealth Read More »

A piece in the current issue of the American magazine The Atlantic says that Nepal has made great progress in maternal health and safe motherhood. However, its performance on international checklists may look better than the reality. Women often lack the social status to avoid crippling work or to get the food and care they …

Nepal a model for North India in #safemotherhood — up to a point Read More »

An honest rural doctor in Maharashtra has complained to the Medical Council of India because he received a Rs 1200 commission from a diagnostic chain. He had referred a patient for an MRI but told her to go where she liked. To his surprise, he received a cheque for his cut of her MRI fee. …

Commissions to doctors in the legal spotlight Read More »