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84-yr-old Haryana man, first in India to get antibody cocktail against Covid-19 mutant

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

An 84-year-old man from Haryana has become the first person in Indian to be administered the Covid drug cocktail, which came into limelight after it was administered to former US President Donald Trump when he tested positive for the virus last year.

Mohabbat Singh, who was under treatment for the last five days at Gurugram’s Medanta Hospital was on Tuesday given the drug over a 30 minute intravenous supply.

The cocktail of two fast acting antibodies-Casirivimab and Imdevimab is seen as a cutting-edge treatment that will provide protection to Covid-19 with mild moderate symptoms before their condition deteriorates and they require hospitalization.

The first batch of the Roche antibody cocktail drug arrived in the country on Monday, according to an official announcement by Roche India and Cipla Limited. “If these antibodies are injected into a patient infected with the Covid-19 virus at an early stage when the virus is trying to multiply then it blocks the virus from entering the cells of the patient form where it derives nutrition to multiply. So by blocking the virus they are stopping the multiplication of the virus and finally the virus spikes. It is one of the blocking mechanisms that is working against the Covid-19 virus,” Doctor Naresh Trehan, Chairman and MD of Medanta hospital told ANI.

Dr Trehan further said that the antibodies are also effective against the new variant B.1.617.2 and thus has been verified in laboratories as well.

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vaccination
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Vaccines effective against Covid strains, suggests study

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

With several cases of Covid-19 infections being reported after partial or vaccinations, concerns have been raised on the efficacy of vaccination against the mutated variants of the novel coronavirus. Allaying these concerns, a new study emphasises that vaccines have been found effective against mutations of Covid-19 virus and protects against severe illness.

“Infections occurring two weeks after the full vaccination have been referred to as ‘Break Through Infection’ or BTI. Vaccines were found to be effective in combating mutated variants and protect the vaccinated from severe illness, hospitalization, or death”, said findings of the research by Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

The study was conducted on 69 symptomatic health care workers of the hospital, who tested positive for Covid-19 after being inoculated with Covishield vaccine, during the first 100 days of the vaccination drive earlier this year.

According to Dr Anupam Sibal, Group Medical Director and Senior Paediatric Gastroenterologist of Apollo Hospitals, “Amongst 69 people, 51 were fully vaccinated with two doses (73.91 per cent) and the remaining 18 (26.09 per cent) were partially immunized with a single dose, prior to acquiring the infection. The predominant infections occurred form B.1.617.2 lineage (47.83 per cent), followed by B.1 and B.1.1.7 strains. There were only two hospital admissions (2.89 per cent) for minor symptoms, but no ICU admissions and deaths, from this group.”

This study concluded that the prior vaccination in the health care workers offered clear protection from severe disease due to variants requiring hospital and ICU admissions and deaths.

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IMA
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Indian Medical Association serves defamation notice on Ramdev

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has served a defamation notice on Ramdev for alleged disparaging remarks against allopathy and allopathic doctors, demanding an apology from him within 15 days, failing which it said it will demand a compensation of ₹1,000 crore from the yoga guru.

The six-page notice served on behalf of IMA (Uttarakhand) secretary Ajay Khanna by his lawyer Neeraj Pandey describes the remarks by Ramdev as damaging to the reputation and the image of allopathy and around 2,000 practitioners of it who are part of the association, reported National Herald.

Terming the remarks of the yoga guru a “criminal act” under Section of 499 of the Indian Penal Code, the notice demanded a written apology from him within 15 days of its receipt, or else a compensation of $1,000 crore will be demanded from him at the rate of $50 lakh per member of the IMA.

The notice has also asked Ramdev to make a video clip contradicting all his false and defamatory allegations, and circulate it on all the social media platforms where he had uploaded his earlier video clip levelling the allegations.

It has also asked the yoga guru to withdraw a “misleading” advertisement from all platforms endorsing “Coronil kit”, a product of his firm, as an effective medicine for COVID-19, failing which an FIR and a criminal case will be lodged against him by the IMA.

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Ministry of Ayush
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Ayush comes out with Homoeopathic treatment protocol for Black Fungus

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

The Department of Ayush has come out with a homoeopathic prescription for patients recovering from COVID-19, known to be diabetic or found to be diabetic during the course of treatment with steroids, as they have been found to be vulnerable to Mucormycosis (Black Fungus).

Director of Ayush, Alagu Varsini told a press conference at J.S.P.S Government Homoeopathic Medical College, Ramanthapur, on Friday that for convalescing patients in severe debilitating state with extreme prostration, Mucormycosis can be prevented by giving the following medicines — Arsenic-Alb 200 (daily two times, six pills each time for 5 days) and Five. Phos 6x tablets (twice daily, three tablets each time for 30 days).

Since Homoeopathy is a system of medicine based on individualisation and Mucormycosis is not an exception, one must go through individualistic presentation of each case strictly. The following medicines as per the indications can be used individually one medicine at a time on the advice and under supervision of qualified Homoeopathic physician in the treatment of Mucormycosis, she cautioned.

For Rhinocerebral Mucormycosis, drug prescribed is Arsenic-Alb, Kali Bich, Merc.Iod. Rubrum, Merc. Iod. Flavum, Merc. Sol, Cinnabaris, Thuja, Carbo Animalis; 200 potency, daily two times 6 pills each time for 5 days. For Pulmonary Mucormycosis, drug is Arsenic-Alb, Phosphorous, Bryonia, Carbo Animalis, Ant.Tart; 200 potency, daily two times 6 pills each time for 5 days.

In case of Cutaneous Mucormycosis, it is Arsenic-Alb, Sulphur, Merc. sol, Anthracinum; 200 potency, daily two times 6 pills each time for 5 days while for Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis, it is Arsenic-Alb, Phosphorous, Nitric Acid; 200 potency, daily two times 6 pills each time for 5 days.

These apart, any other medicine or potency can be prescribed based on symptom similarity in a given case, other speakers said.

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nmc
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NMC drafts guidelines for fee determination of MBBS, PG and other courses

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

National Medical Commission has recently drafted guidelines for determination of fees for MBBS and Post Graduate (PG) Courses and other charges with regard to private medical colleges and deemed to be Universities.

To read the full document, click on the following link:

https://www.nmc.org.in/MCIRest/open/getDocument?path=/Documents/Public/Portal/LatestNews/25.05.2021.pdf

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Pets
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Experts urge people not to abandon pets as COVID can’t spread from animals to humans

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

As the rumours of the transmission of Covid-19 form animals to humans get momentum amid the second wave, top doctors and experts of the country have debunked the myth, stating that there is no data that shows the virus spread form animals to humans.

Many activists and pet welfare animal organizations raised concern over people leaving their pets on the streets due to fear of COVID transmission. Meanwhile, the top doctors and veterinarians negate the rumours.

Leading pet specialist Dr Sandeep Singh said, “Pets do not spread COVID infection to humans. People should avoid these rumours. There us no need to leave dogs and cats on the streets. I received many calls from people asking if COVID can spread form pets. I apprised them that these are only rumours. So far no institution has said that there is a risk of spreading COVID infection from pets.”

Dr Ishwar Gilada also urged people to avoid the false narratives and not abandon their pets. Gilada explained that it is not a zootonic disease and can only be spread from humans to humans.

AIIMS Director Dr Randeep Guleria told ANI, “There is no data that shows the virus spread from animals to humans. We only have data showing that the virus spread from humans to animals as seen in a zoo in New York during the first wave.”

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Amphotericin B
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VAV Life Sciences ramps up production of crucial lipid ingredients needed for Amphotericin-B

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

Mumbai-based VAV Life Sciences is ramping up the production of crucial lipid ingredients needed for manufacturing liposomal amphotericin-B, the drug used for treating mucormycosis. Due to the surge in cases of mucormycosis, India is currently facing an acute shortage of these raw materials, leading to hindrances in the production of amphotericin-B class of drugs, the company said in a statement.

To keep up with the rising demand from the pharmaceutical industry for these lipid ingredients to manufacture the medication, VAV Life Sciences has taken immediate steps to increase the production of the crucial lipids threefold within the next three months, according to the statement.

The statement alos said, “The company plans to expand its present capacity of 21 kg per month to 65 kg per month, by August 2021. This would help pharmaceutical companies produce about three lakh vials of liposomal amphotericin-B. VAV will also further increase its capacity to 130 kg per month by December, which would add approximately six lakh vials of the medication to the pharmaceutical supply chain, by the end of 2021. VAV will manufacture the lipid ingredients at its EU cGMP-certified facility under its subsidiary company, VAV Lipids, based at Ratnagiri in Maharashtra.”

Speaking of the company’s plans to expand production, Arun Kedia, Managing Director, VAV Life Sciences, said, “The unprecedented demand of liposomal amphotericin-B has put tremendous pressure on the supply chain for raw materials. Since our company plays such a crucial role in the supply chain, we are working round-the-clock to keep up with the demand from pharmaceutical companies for these crucial ingredients that will help them manufacture this medication in sufficient quantities.”

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Mucormycosis
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After black and white, now Yellow Fungus reported in Ghaziabad, UP

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

As the country battles the Covid pandemic, besides its twisted off-springs the Black and White fungi wreaking havoc, now the first case of Yellow Fungus has also cropped up in Ghaziabad.

ENT Specialist BP Tyagi has claimed that there is a patient of Yellow Fungus in his hospital, who is undergoing treatment.

The 45-year-old patient, resident of Sanjay Nagar in Harsh Hospital, Ghaziabad, is suffering from yellow fungus as well as black and white fungus.

Professor Tyagi said, “A patient came to me, who after the initial test appeared to be normal, but after doing another investigation, I came to know that the patient is suffering from black, white as well as yellow fungus.”

“This fungus is found in reptiles. I saw this disease for the first time. Amphotericin B injection is used to treat this disease. It takes a long time to heal. This patient’s condition cannot be said to be very good, he is still undergoing treatment.”

According to Tyagi, as far as the symptoms of this disease are concerned, there remains sluggishness or lethargy in the body while there is less appetite, due to which the weight starts decreasing. Body wounds also heal very slowly.

Cleanliness is very important to avoid this disease, as infection starts off due to poor hygiene. The more you keep cleanliness around you, the more you can stay safe from this disease.

According to the patient’s son Abhishek, “His father was undergoing treatment for corona and he was recovering well. In the last two-three days, his eyes started swelling and suddenly they closed altogether. There was nose bleed and urine leak.”

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covaxin
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WHO seeks more info for emergency use listing of Covaxin

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said more information is required from Bharat Biotech, which is seeking emergency use listing (EUL) for its Covaxin vaccine for COVID-19.

The latest Status of COVID-19 Vaccines within WHO EUL/PQ evaluation process’ guidance document dated May 18 on the WHO website said Bharat Biotech submitted EOI (Expression of Interest) on April 19 and that more information required . A pre-submission meeting is expected to be planned May-June 2021, the guidance document said.

According to the WHO, submissions to it for prequalification or listing under the emergency use procedure are confidential.

If a product submitted for assessment is found to meet the criteria for listing, WHO will publish the results widely. Duration of the emergency use listing process depends on the quality of the data submitted by the vaccine manufacturer and on those data meeting WHO criteria, according to the agency.

Meanwhile, Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) has conveyed to the government that it has already submitted 90 per cent of documents to WHO for obtaining emergency use listing (EUL) for the Covaxin vaccine, sources said in New Delhi on Monday.

The remaining documents are expected to be submitted by June, the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Ltd told the Central government during a discussion on obtaining the World Health Organisation’s authorisation for emergency use listing for Covaxin, sources said.

“BBIL is confident about obtaining WHO’s emergency use listing,” said a source. Noting that Covaxin has already received regulatory approval from 11 countries, sources said there was also interest from other 11 companies in seven nations for technology transfer and production of Covaxin.

The company is in the final stages of negotiations with the Food and Drug Administration of the US for conducting small-scale phase-III clinical trials of Covaxin in the United States, sources said.

Sources said the meeting with BBIL on the EUL was attended by the company’s managing director V Krishna Mohan and his colleagues besides senior officers of the Ministry of Health, Department of Biotechnology and Ministry of External Affairs.

Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla was among those who attended the meeting.

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Remdesivir
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Remdesivir not effective for treatment of Covid, Docs raise questions upon Pharma companies

by Medically Speaking Team
written by Medically Speaking Team

Amidst rampant black marketing of Remdesivir, doctors say it is a false perception that this injection is important for treatment of Covid patients and that it is a game-changer.

In corona 1.0,  it was Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Its sale skyrocketed once Donald Trump called it a wonder drug. In 2.0 version of corona it is Remdesivir. And the efficacy of both the drugs in treating COVID-19 is quite doubtful. Are pharma companies then playing with people’s sentiments and minting money in this pandemic.

The question is raised because amidst the black marketing of Remdesivir, doctors say it is a false perception that this injection is important for treatment of Covid patients and that it is a game-changer.

Nodal officer for Covid at KGMU Dr Surya Kant Tripathi said he is against the use of Remdesivir and that it is a false perception that it is a game-changer.

“Studies are totally against it and it was propagated for the treatment of severe pneumonia, but the trial stopped later. In very selective cases, doctors are using it but I am not using it in the treatment of Covid patients,” he said.

President of People’s Health Organisation Dr Ishwar Gilada also said that it is a totally false perception that Remdesivir is important for COVID-19 treatment.

Giving a backgrounder, he said that the drug was first used in 2010 for Hepatitis C, but was not found to be effective, and was later used for other diseases.

“When coronavirus outbreak happened, many drugs were repurposed. A random trial with Remdesivir showed that it did not prevent death but only lessened hospitalisation by two days,” he said.

He said no guidelines have been issued regarding the usage of Remdesivir, but a lot of doctors are in a habit of using it and patients themselves start demanding it.

“The doctors started using it and vouching that it was effective but it does not help and there is no scientific evidence,” he said.

He added that hospitals are also making money because they are getting it for Rs 800-1,000 but they are selling it at higher costs.

“Patients insist on using it because they are not very satisfied on being given only a couple of medicines for Covid treatment. What remains crucial for treatment is the oxygen supply and steroids,” he said.

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