May 2015

Three Indian pharmaceutical companies, namely Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs and Torrent Pharmaceuticals have get the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for generic versions of Abilify (aripiprazole). Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic drug approved to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.   Teva Pharmaceuticals has also get  similar approval.

Last week 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal. In response to this Novo Nordisk India has shared  donation of  75,000 insulin vials to the Indian government’s relief operations. The insulin valued at Rs.1 crore. This is to support people with diabetes who have been affected by the earthquake and who currently need access to this life saving medication. As damage and destruction has made living in Nepal citizens, people with diabetes in Nepal are facing difficulty to get medications.

As dietary supplements may be advertised to promote health but according to a study conducted by University of Colorado, excessive use of over-the-counter vitamins and other dietary supplements may raise the risk of malignancies, The exact molecular mechanisms are unknown; however, the causal role of excessive dietary supplements and higher risk of developing cancer is well-established.

A fast-acting transdermal gel using a proprietary formulation of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) ketoprofen helps in reduced pain severity in patients with severe migraine with or without auracompared with placebo and had few adverse effects. The phase 2a trial results were presented at the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) 67th Annual Meeting. The study shows the pathogenesis of severe headaches that are due to neurogenic inflammation.  If proved in large-scale trials, it may be new era  in neurological practice and introduction of new topical treatment of migraine. Oral analgesics such as cyclooxygenase inhibitors reduce inflammation but cause undesirable gastrointestinal effects.

Elekta is a Swedish company that provides radiation therapy, radiosurgery, related equipment and clinical management for the treatment of cancer and brain disorders,  has introduced its new Leksell Gamma Knife Icon.  The benefits of precision cranial radiosurgery are now available for more patients with a wider variety of brain tumor types and sizes.  This latest generation stereotactic radiosurgery system for the brain, integrates advanced motion management, dose delivery and imaging technologies, significantly increasing the versatility of Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Elekta unveiled Leksell Gamma Knife Icon at the 3rd ESTRO Forum in Barcelona.

A new facility was launched to generate worldclass knowledge which can impact policy and practice aimed at reducing the burden of chronic diseases in India. Minister of State for Science and Technology Y S Chowdary launched the Centre for Control of Chronic Conditions (CCCC), an international partnership among four leading institutions -- AIIMS , Emory University, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and the Public Health Foundation of India.