Government News

A new study showed that a change in the type of breathing tube paramedics use to resuscitate patients with sudden cardiac arrest can significantly improve the odds of survival and save thousands of lives. More than 90 percent of Americans who experience sudden cardiac arrest die before, or soon after, reaching a hospital.

Ministry of AYUSH has introduced new Central Sector scheme for promoting pharmacovigilance of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy (ASU&H) Drugs. Prime objective of the scheme is to develop the culture of documenting adverse effects and undertake safety monitoring of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy drugs and surveillance of misleading advertisements appearing in the print and electronic media. The Standing Finance Committee (SFC) chaired by Secretary (AYUSH) approved the scheme on 1st November, 2017 and thereafter it was rolled out for implementation in the country near the end of financial year 2017-18.

The Ministry of Public Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced the launch of Ebola vaccinations for high risk populations in North Kivu province. The vaccinations have begun just one week after the announcement of a second outbreak of Ebola this year in the country. A total of 44 cases have been reported so far, of which 17 have been confirmed.
Work has begun to prepare ring vaccination in the Mangina health area, 30km from the town of Beni.

The Health Ministry  held a video conference with the States/UTs on various issues relating to regulation of Oxytocin including the status of preparedness of the State Governments for implementing the amended rules in regard to manufacture, distribution and sale of Oxytocin. The video conference also assessed the stock of Oxytocin in the States to ensure that there is no shortage after the restriction order on its manufacture for domestic use comes into effect from 1st September, 2018.

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO), India and National Agency for Drug and Food Control (BPOM), Indonesia on cooperation in the field of pharmaceutical products, pharmaceutical substances, biological product and cosmetics regulatory functions.
The MoU was on signed on 29th May, 2018 in Jakarta.

The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Cuba on cooperation in the field of Traditional Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy.  The MoU was signed on 22.6.2018.

The Central government has moved forward with its plan to bring all implantable medical devices and other critical medical equipment under the purview of Section 3 (b) (iv) of the Drugs and Cosmetics (D&C) Act 1940 to ensure quality and reliability.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has restricted the manufacture of Oxytocin formulations for domestic use to public sector only from 1st July 2018. It has also banned the import of Oxytocin and its formulations.
From 1st July 2018, no private manufacturer will be allowed to manufacture the drug for domestic use.

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the European Commission have updated their guidance to help pharmaceutical companies prepare for the United Kingdom’s (UK) withdrawal from the European Union (EU).

Ministry of Health and Family Welfare signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Government of Norway to extend the cooperation within health sector through the Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) for a period of three years starting from 2018 to 2020, here.