Health

New Delhi, September 26: As swine flu cases continue to surge in the country, a pharma company Friday announced that it has pushed 1.25 million capsules of the drug to chemists across the country to combat the virus and it would be ready with 10 million such drugs by mid-October.

“We have launched Natflu capsules (generic version of Tamiflu – Oseltamivir), the first cure for swine flu to be available against medical prescription at designated chemists across India,” said V.C. Nannapaneni, chairman of Natco, a Hyderabad-based pharma company.

Washington, September 25: Some 3917 people have died from swine flu infections since the A(H1N1) virus was uncovered in April, the World Health Organisation said today.

This marks a jump of 431 deaths compared to a week ago when 3486 deaths were recorded, said the UN health agency in its weekly data on the pandemic published on its website.

The Americas region continued to post the highest number of fatal cases, at 2948.

The Asia-Pacific region reported 702 deaths, while Europe recorded at least 154 fatalities.

New Delhi, September 25: Global pharma major Novartis Friday announced it is ready with a swine flu vaccine and has started first deliveries to governments in Europe, giving hopes to people in many parts of the world.
“Novartis has already started first deliveries of pandemic vaccines under quarantine to governments in Europe, despite the initially low yields with the current production seed strain provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO). A new seed strain could provide higher volumes,” the company said in a statement issued in Switzerland.

Beijing, September 25: The autumn weather is glorious, a week-long holiday is coming up, but fears of the H1N1 flu are keeping many Chinese students in their dorms these days.

Schools in Xi’an, a north-western city that has seen heavy flu outbreaks, the port city of Tianjin and the northern province of Heilongjiang have shut temporarily to try and halt the spread of the virus, and the students are akin to prisoners.

Chennai, September 25: It is that time of the year when you listen to your heart, quite literally. World Heart Day, falling on the last Sunday of September every year, is only a reminder to do the above. World Heart Day, the World Heart Federation tells us, was created to inform people around the globe that heart disease and stroke are the world’s leading cause of death, claiming 17.2 million lives each year.

Mumbai, September 25: Pharmaceutical firm Strides Arcolab on Friday said it has launched its anti-swine flu drug ‘Starflu’.

Strides Arcolab has launched Starflu capsule, the cure for swine flu, the pharma firm said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Starflu is the generic version for Tamiflu-Oseltamivir and is available at all licensed pharmacies at a maximum retail price of Rs 460 for a bottle of 10 capsules, it further said.

Toronto, September 25: Have you ever sat down to work on a crossword puzzle only to find that you don’t have the energy to exercise later? Or have you come home from a rough day at office with no zest for a bout of jogging?

A new study reveals that if you use your willpower to do one task, it depletes you of the willpower to do an entirely different task.

Washington, September 25: In a breakthrough, researchers have for the first time found a vaccine that cuts HIV infection by more than 31 per cent, giving fresh boost to the global fight against the dreaded disease.
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The experimental drug has cut the risk of HIV infection by a third in the world’s largest AIDS trial of more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand, researchers said.

It is the first time after two decades of human trials that a vaccine has stopped the HIV virus, which infects 7,500 across the globe every day.

London, September 25: Being fat could become the leading cause of cancer in women in Western countries in the coming years, European researchers said Thursday.

Being overweight or obese accounts for up to 8 percent of cancers in Europe. Experts said that figure is poised to increase substantially as the obesity epidemic continues, and as major causes of cancer, such as smoking and hormone replacement therapy for menopausal women, drop dramatically.

New Delhi, September 24: Over one million babies are born with hearing impairment every year in India but early intervention can help get rid of the problem, doctors here said Thursday.

In a panel discussion, doctors unanimously called for screening for deafness in newborns to be made compulsory across all healthcare facilities in the country.

Bangkok, September 24: For the first time, an experimental vaccine has prevented infection with the AIDS virus, a watershed event in the deadly epidemic and a surprising result. Recent failures led many scientists to think such a vaccine might never be possible.

The vaccine cut the risk of becoming infected with HIV by more than 31 percent in the world’s largest AIDS vaccine trial of more than 16,000 volunteers in Thailand, researchers announced Thursday in Bangkok.

New Delhi, September 24: In an attempt to fight the menace of Swine Flu, an anti-swine flu drug Tamil flu is being launched by the Govt of India in the licenced shops across the country.

The launch of the drug came at a time when the deadly virus has claimed 257 lives and affected 8,153 people in the country.

The drug is sold under the trade name Tamiflu and is taken orally in capsules or a drink.

Chicago, September 22: Smoking bans in public places can reduce the number of heart attacks by as much as 36 percent, offering fresh proof that the restrictions work, US researchers said.

They urged widespread bans on smoking in enclosed public places to prevent heart attacks and improve public health.

Hyderabad, September 21: The Telugu Desam has decided to distribute medicine for the dreaded swine flu disease. Making this announcement here today, party president N Chandrababu Naidu called upon doctors to come to the rescue of the patients.

Participating in Vidya Jyothi programme being organised by the NTR Memorial Trust, he said his party would start distribution of medicine for swine flu from tomorrow. He wanted the rich to establish charity trusts to help the needy.

–Agencies–

Washington, September 20: A simple, one-minute eye movement examination by the bedside by doctors works better than MRI to identify impending stroke in patients complaining of dizziness and nausea.

These findings are based on a study of 101 patients, who were already at higher than normal risk of stroke because of factors including high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

London, September 20: Want to shed flab? Drink green coffee daily, says a new study.

Researchers have carried out the study and found that chlorogenic acid from green coffee causes significant levels of weight loss — the drink works by reducing sugar absorption from the gut and speeding up the rate at which fat is burned.

Tokyo, September 20: Amid fears of pregnant women being more vulnerable to flu, a new study has claimed that the vaccine for seasonal influenza has a 90 per cent effectiveness for expectant mothers and their fetuses, with similar effects likely for the new flu as well.

The rate refers to the probability of pregnant women successfully producing an antibody against the virus so as to prevent infection or severe symptoms and the baby in their wombs were also found to build up immunity as a result, according to a research by National Center for Child Health and Development.

London, September 20: Even though women live longer than men in most developed countries yet motherhood is considered appropriate only for the younger ones, a belief that needs to be changed, a leading Indian expert said here.

“We tend to go by the stereotype that a mother should be a young person. While young age is an advantage, older women have an equal right to motherhood,” Dr N Pandiyan, chief consultant in andrology and reproductive medicine at Tamil Nadu’s Chettinad Hospital said at an International conference of Gynaecologists here.

New Delhi, September 20: India has developed an indigenous vaccine against Rotavirus, the most common cause of diarrhoea in babies and young children and the product is in the clinical trial stage.

“The multi-agency approach in the development and evaluation of indigenous Rotavirus vaccine has been an important development in the country. This vaccine has already entered clinical trial stage,” Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

The results of this trial will help in the formulation of strategies for the prevention and control of diarrhoeal diseases among children, he added.

New Delhi, September 20: With the death of three more persons, the nationwide swine flu toll rose to 231 on Saturday even as 298 fresh cases were reported from across the country.

Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Gujarat reported one death each due to the H1N1 influenza, the Health Ministry said.

The country has witnessed 231 deaths as Maharashtra topped the list with 101 deaths, followed by 67 in Karnataka, 21 in Gujarat and 18 in Andhra Pradesh.

There is unconfirmed report about one more death from Andhra Pradesh. Laboratory confirmation is awaited, the ministry said.

New York, September 19: Men with a rare disorder in which they carry extra female genes can still have children if they undergo a surgical procedure for collecting their sperm, according to a new study.

Men with Klinefelter’s syndrome carry an extra copy of the X chromosome; normally men have one each of the X and Y chromosomes, and women have two X chromosomes. Men with Klinefelter’s syndrome carry XXY, and the main effect of the disorder is less fertility.

Geneva, September 19: Production of H1N1 vaccine over the next year will be “substantially less” than the 4.9 billion doses previously forecast but one dose should provide adequate protection, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Based on clinical test results from some 25 drugmakers, weekly production of the new vaccine will be less than 94 million doses, WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl said.

“The real figure will be substantially less than 4.9 billion (over the year),” Hartl told reporters.

Washington, September 19: The United States and Europe face a new health threat from a mosquito-borne disease far more unpleasant than the West Nile virus that swept into North America a decade ago, a U.S. expert said on Friday.

Chikungunya virus has spread beyond Africa since 2005, causing outbreaks and scores of fatalities in India and the French island of Reunion. It also has been detected in Italy, where it has begun to spread locally, as well as France.

Washington, September 19: The US will share 10 percent of its H1N1 vaccine supply with other countries to combat the global spread of the pandemic, President Barack Obama said Thursday.

The US vaccines would be made available to countries through the World Health Organization (WHO), recognising that ‘diseases know no borders, and the health of the American people is inseparable from the health of people around the world,’ the White House said.

Washington, September 18: Older adults who exercise seem to live longer and have a lower risk of disability, says a new study.

Jochanan Stessman and colleagues at Hebrew University Medical Centre and its Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, studied 1,861 individuals born in 1920 and 1921.

Participants underwent assessments in their homes at ages 70, 78 and 85 years during which they were asked about their physical activity levels.

Those who performed less than four hours per week of physical activity were considered sedentary.