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AIR AMBULANCE SERVICES FOR PATIENTS APPROVED IN INDIA
India will soon benefit from world-class helicopter ambulance services provided by Bengaluru based Aviators Air Rescue with a fleet of three Airbus H130 helicopters . The Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation ( DGCA ) recently notified stringent guidelines for offering Helicopter Emergency Medical Services ( HEMS ) in India , allowing single-engine helicopters for daytime operations .
Aviators is set to become the first dedicated HEMS provider in India . This pioneering service is the result of a tripartite agreement between Aviators Air Rescue , Air Medical Group Holdings Inc ., a leading air medical provider in the United States and Airbus Helicopters . All three H130 will be put to use for medical missions only and will come equipped with specialised equipment for emergency transportation of patients , organs , neo-natal and other time critical medical missions . The service rollout – including the training of pilots and medical personnel along with the definition of practices and procedures – will be supported by Airbus Helicopters and Air Medical Group Holdings Inc . The service will be offered to state governments , rescue groups , hospitals , clinics , public and private companies , and also to individuals through subscription .
“ With the support of Airbus Helicopters and Air Medical Group Holdings , we will provide India with top-notch air medical services that will be affordable and accessible for everyone . These services will be on par with the established HEMS operations in the US and Europe ,” said Arun Sharma , Managing Director of Aviators Air Rescue .
AN AFFORDABLE PASSIVE COOLING DEVICE FOR NEWBORNS
MiraCradle Neonate Cooler , an affordable cooling device developed by Pluss in collaboration with CMC Vellore , has received the prestigious CE certification and ISO 13485 by the UL , a premier global independent safety science company . The passive cooling device uses the advanced savE Phase Change Material ( PCM ) technology to cool newborns suffering from birth asphyxia . Birth asphyxia is the second largest cause of neonatal deaths in India and across the world . It has been developed by Pluss in collaboration with CMC Vellore . It is easy to use , safe , lightweight , portable and gives the precise temperature control of 33-34 ° C for a period of 72 hours with minimal manual supervision and no requirement of constant electricity supply . MiraCradle is said to be affordable as it costs less than 1 / 8th of the present electronic devices available in the market .
ANGIOPLASTY STENT PRICES DOWN BY 30-50 % IN LAST 4 YEAR , REVEALS IMS HEALTH STUDY
A new study undertaken by IMS Health has revealed that the price of stents in India is not the highest contributor to the overall angioplasty cost . According to IMS Health , stent prices contribute only 20 – 25 % to the overall angioplasty procedure costs . The study also
found that prices of stents declined by 6-10 % per year over the last four years ( 2011-15 ) across private healthcare establishments , whereas procedure costs increased by 2-7 %.
As per experts who vouch for imported medical stents , the study is an eye opener for the medical devices industry . The findings clearly reveal that there has been significant reduction in stent prices but it does not make much difference on overall procedure cost . Improving access to these coronary stents would require a comprehensive approach , and not just capping of prices . All stakeholders should look at the study findings as a gateway to understand the real issues that impact access to quality healthcare and improves health outcomes in India .
The Advanced Medical Technology Association ( AdvaMed ) commissioned IMS Health to conduct the study in order to establish a robust unbiased view of pricing trends for implantable medical devices and understand what drives cost of treatment , to define guiding principles which impact treatment cost , accessibility and quality of outcomes .
ACTIVIST GROUPS URGE GOVERNMENT TO REGULATE ONLINE MEDICINE
Consumer Activist and Founder of Consumer Online Foundation and Patient Safety and Access Initiative of India Foundation , Mr Bejon Misra released a letter addressed to Government of India and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on July 06 , 2016 at a Press Conference highlighting the latest consumer trends on medicine buying behaviour and safe and secure purchase of medicines through all mediums .
The detailed letter consists of the key findings of a recent consumer survey undertaken by the consumer online foundation and BRIEF ( Bureau of Research on Industry & Economic Fundamentals ) which revealed startling statistics suggesting that the Drugs & Cosmetics Act , 1940 is probably the most flouted law in India .
According to the survey conducted 50 % of people said selling medicines without prescription is a norm and while 50 % of respondents admitted buying medicines from a chemist shop without prescription and 36 % have never received any bill for the medicines bought . Buying medicines without prescription leads to self-medication and poses a big risk to public health . Selling medicines without bills poses the risk of fake medicines circulating in the market as sale of these medicines can never be tracked .
Speaking on the above Mr Bejon Misra said “ Government has set up a sub-committee to establish guidelines for Online Sale of Medicines , scheduled to meet on July 8th , for which the consumer survey finding can be helpful . The survey highlights the need for strict enforcement of all the existing laws and immediate legislation in place of the existing Drugs and Cosmetics Act , 1940 as well as bring changes in certain sections of all the other relevant laws to keep pace with changing timings and take stringent action against such criminals who are undermining the health and safety of the citizens ”.
INTERTEK APPROVED AS INDIA ’ S FIRST CERTIFICATION BODY FOR THE ICMED SCHEME
Intertek , a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide , has been approved as India ’ s first
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BioVoiceNews | July 2016