PHARMA LITERATI

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The author is B. Pharm student from NMIMS-SPPSPTM Introduction Covid-19 or also known as Coronavirus disease is an infectious disease which has rapidly emerged to become a global pandemic. The main reasons why it is so dangerous is because it takes about 2 weeks for the symptoms (coughing, fever and in severe cases, respiratory distress) to develop and thus be identified. In that period, the infected person can transmit this disease to countless other people they come in contact with through cough or sneeze droplets. [1] Another reason for it’s danger lies in the survival mechanism of the virus causing the disease. Covid-19 is caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2 . This virus can remain stable and alive for several days on surfaces and in aerosols. [2] The exact mechanism for this disease is yet not known and is still under research but there are several theories proposed. The pandemic is a huge risk to global health with more than 1,500,000 cases reported worldwide till dat...

Global pandemics like Covid-19 require a coordinated global response. And yet what the world is witnessing is quite the opposite. The pandemic has provided new fuel to the US-China squabble, with the two sides engaged in endless mutual recrimination. President Donald Trump’s reported attempt to secure exclusive rights to German biopharma major CureVac’s vaccine reflects a continuing preoccupation with his ‘America First’ approach. China’s authoritarian model and lack of transparency in handling the crisis have dented its global leadership credentials. The G7 meeting last month failed to agree on a statement on the pandemic, accentuating the group’s continuing slide into irrelevance. The G20 Leaders Summit on March 26 called for “a transparent, robust, coordinated, large scale and science based global response in the spirit of solidarity”. However, the ground reality is that more than 75 countries have imposed trade restrictions on Covid-19 related supplies since the beginning of ...

The Gujarat State Pharmacy Council (GSPC) has wanted the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) to develop a strategic plan towards achieving recognition of professional status of pharmacists at national level as trusted healthcare providers after medical professionals, in the entire healthcare system. In the background of upswing in COVID-19 infections in western countries, the respective government in each country in the west has recognized the various roles of pharmacists and their services were given deserving importance. They are considered as one of the frontline healthcare providers. But in India, their status is underrated, says a letter written to the president of the PCI by Montu Kumar Patel, president of GSPC. GSPC has put forth this demand to the PCI by considering the increasing demand for Indian medicines by US, Russia and other western countries which are experiencing escalation in COVID-19 infections. Including western nations, many countries in the world make appeal...

Union health ministry’s latest telemedicine practice guideline has not only given boost to telemedicine sector but has also given clarity in its implementation, says Dr Shankar Narang, COO, Paras Healthcare. Dr Narang added that lack of clarity on telemedicine was often recognized as a hindrance in the growth of the sector and more so lack of guidelines did not instill confidence in healthcare providers to use patient-friendly technology to reach out in a major way. With increasing number of people seeking medical help through advanced technological means such as video consultations or voice chat, telemedicine has helped reduce the spread of the virus by reducing hospital footfalls. “We strongly believe that these guidelines will serve to institutionalize and mainstream the role of telemedicine in healthcare. We are already witnessing a surge in the use of telemedicine facilities across the world to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic at hand,” added Dr Narang. The purpose of...

On the first Monday in March, Michel Vounatsos, chief executive of the drug company Biogen, appeared in good spirits. The company's new Alzheimer's drug was showing promise after years of setbacks. Revenues had never been higher. Onstage at an elite health care conference in Boston, Vounatsos touted the drug's "remarkable journey." Asked if the coronavirus that was ravaging China would disrupt supply chains and upend the company's big plans, Vounatsos said no. " So far, so good ," he said.    But even as he spoke, the virus was already silently spreading among Biogen's senior executives, who did not know they had been infected days earlier at the company's annual leadership meeting. Biogen employees, most feeling healthy, boarded planes full of passengers. They drove home to their families. And they carried the virus to at least six states, the District of Columbia and three countries, outstripping the ability of local publi...