Doctor flags fake video claiming to treat diabetes in 48 hours

Senior diabetologist Dr. V Mohan has denounced a video circulating on social media, depicting a figure resembling him endorsing a diabetes cure within 48 hours, as “fake.” This incident highlights the alarming potential of such AI-generated clips as emerging health hazards.

Originally posted on the Facebook pages of the Indian Medical Association of Tirunelveli, the video rapidly gained traction. However, Dr. Mohan, who does not speak Hindi, immediately recognized the manipulation. In November 2023, he reported the video to Tamil Nadu police’s cyber security cell, resulting in its removal. Nevertheless, the video resurfaced.

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Psychosocial therapies could be effective treatment for non-physical symptoms of menopause

Interventions such as mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), could be an effective treatment option for menopause-related mood symptoms, memory and concentration problems, finds a new study by UCL researchers.

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Poorly controlled asthma emits same quantity of greenhouse gas as 124,000 homes each year in the UK: Study

Patients whose asthma is poorly controlled account for eight times excess greenhouse gas emissions compared with those whose condition is well controlled—equivalent to that produced by 124,000 homes each year in the U.K. This result has been published online in the journal Thorax.

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How AI could improve speed, accuracy of response to infectious disease outbreaks in hospitals and even prevent them

A new research review to be given at a pre-congress day for this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID 2024) will highlight the potential artificial intelligence (AI) has to improve the speed and accuracy of investigations into infectious disease outbreaks in hospitals, and potentially provide real-time information to stop or prevent them. The talk will be by Dr. Jonas Marschall, Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, U.S.

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Concerted efforts urgently needed to meet 2030 Global Alcohol Action Plan targets

Concerted international efforts are urgently needed to meet the targets set out in the 2030 Global Alcohol Action Plan (GAAP) and avert “dire consequences” for low and middle income countries, where alcohol markets are expanding, warn health scientists in the open access journal BMJ Global Health.

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Sinusitis linked to 40% heightened risk of rheumatic disease

The common inflammatory condition sinusitis is linked to a 40% heightened risk of a subsequent diagnosis of rheumatic disease, particularly in the five to 10 years preceding the start of symptoms, according to research published in the open access journal RMD Open.

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Doctors working in Delhi have to mandatorily register with Delhi Medical Council: High Court Order

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court recently upheld the Delhi Medical Council (DMC) notice making it mandatory for the allopathy doctors practicing in Delhi to register with the Council.

Dismissing a plea that challenged the concerned notification, the HC bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet PS Arora opined that the consequence of registration by medical practitioners under the Delhi Medical Council Act is that the council will have jurisdiction to take disciplinary actions in case of any professional or ethical misconduct done by a medical practitioner practising in Delhi.

In order to highlight the mischief caused by a medical practitioner not registered with the DMC, the court referred to an earlier judgment, where the erring doctor objected to the jurisdiction of DMC on the ground of non-registration with DMC, though the medical treatment had been administered in Delhi.

Therefore, the bench opined, “The intent of making the medical practitioner amenable to the regulatory jurisdiction of the State Medical Council of State in which he/she practices is in public interest as it enables the concerned State Medical Council to hold accountable, the erring medical practitioners for their wrongful conduct and take disciplinary against them, in accordance with law.”

These observations were made by the HC bench while considering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking quashing of the Public Notice dated 24th December 2023 issued by DMC directing any person practicing modern scientific system of medicine (Allopathy) in Delhi to be mandatorily registered with the DMC in terms of provisions of Delhi Medical Council Act, 1997.

The Notice further directs that all the Medical Establishments i.e., Hospitals, Nursing Home, Polyclinics, Charitable Dispensaries, Diagnostic Centers etc., to ensure the validity of DMC registration of the doctors before utilizing their services and to ensure that the DMC registration of the doctors working there is renewed every five (5) years as per the DMC Act.

It was argued by the petitioner’s counsel that as a result of the DMC notice the individuals who are already registered with some other State’s Medical Council will have to either surrender the other State’s registration and get themselves registered with DMC or they will have to get themselves registered with both State’s Medical Council, leading to multiple State registrations.

To argue that a medical practitioner registered with his/her respective State’s Medical Council is not necessarily required to be registered with another State’s Medical Council, the petitioner’s counsel relied on the erstwhile Medical Council of India’s (now National Medical Commission) minutes of Ethics Committee meeting dated 2nd September 2004, where it was stated that there is ‘no necessity’ of registration in more than one State Medical Council because a doctor, who has registered with any State Medical Council is automatically registered in the Indian Medical Register (IMR) and also by virtue of Section 27 of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, a person whose name is included in the IMR, can practice anywhere in India.

On the other hand, the counsel for DMC argued that the notice has been issued to curb the menace of professional misconduct by medical practitioners practicing in Delhi. 

Meanwhile, the counsel for NMC stated that the petitioner’s contentions are misconceived as the requirement of registration with the respective State Medical Council continues to remain the norm even under the NMC Act. 

Taking note of these submissions, the HC bench opined that the petitioner’s contention that it would be inconvenient for the medical practitioner to seek transfer to a new State Medical Council in case of a transfer of job, is without any basis.

“Regulation 9 of the Regulations of 2023, provides for a convenient web portal-based procedure for seeking transfer of registration to another State Medical Council and also provides for mechanism of deemed approval. There is no basis for alleging that process of transfer and registration is inconvenient,” opined the bench.

Dismissing the PIL, the bench observed, “Therefore, in view of the aforesaid provisions and Regulations, the Notice issued by Respondent No.1-DMC under Section 15 of the DMC Act is intra vires and there is no conflict with the provisions of NMC Act. The consequence of registration by medical practitioners under Section 15 (1) of the DMC Act is that the DMC will have jurisdiction to take disciplinary actions in case of any professional or ethical misconduct by a medical practitioner practicing in Delhi.”

To view the order, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/delhi-hc-dmc-233210.pdf

Also Read: Unjust Suspension of Doctors: Delhi Medical Association to Gherao CM, Observe Black Day in Protest

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Pfizer, NIPER Ahmedabad join hands to support healthcare innovation in India

New Delhi: Pfizer has announced a collaboration with the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Ahmedabad to encourage and support startups in India and help early-stage innovators advance on their journey. This collaboration will endeavour to support healthcare start-ups in turning their innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. The initiative is being supported by the Department of Pharmaceuticals and Niti Aayog and is being anchored by Social Alpha.

This partnership expands on the successful Pfizer INDovation initiative, through which 34 startups in India have already been supported through funding and incubation to bring their breakthroughs to market. Through this partnership with NIPER Ahmedabad, this initiative will follow a cohort-based approach with the aim of selecting 6 innovators pan-India, that will be incubated at NIPER Ahmedabad. Start-ups with a proof-of-concept that matches the set mandate will be selected for a one-year accelerator program. Each of these startups will receive incubation support in areas of product development, regulatory pathway, pre-clinical testing, tech transfer support through NIPER ecosystem and real-world clinical fitment check. They will also receive funding support of up to Rs. 25 lakhs each.

Together, Pfizer, NIPER Ahmedabad and Social Alpha will be looking for innovations at TRL levels 3 or higher in the areas of deep tech and artificial intelligence for predictive analysis, point-of-care testing, SaaS, informatics and wearables and track and trace solutions.

NIPER Ahmedabad is in the process of setting up a Centre of Excellence in Medical Device. This partnership will further help startups in this domain take advantage of the NIPER Ahmedabad innovation ecosystem in medical devices to advance in their journey towards commercialization.

Dr. Arunish Chawla, Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals said, “Encouraging indigenous innovation in healthcare is not merely a priority, but a responsibility shared by all who are a part of this ecosystem. Our support to this collaboration between Pfizer and NIPER-A highlights the potential of startups bringing innovations that can advance the delivery of healthcare in the country.”

Prof Shailendra Saraf, Director, NIPER- Ahmedabad, said, “NIPER-A has long been at the forefront of pharmaceutical research and education. We believe that innovation is vital to address today’s healthcare challenges and this collaboration can empower start-ups to drive transformative healthcare solutions. Collaboration with a leading pharmaceutical organisation like Pfizer will provide a boost for these innovative start-ups and their ideas.”

Meenakshi Nevatia, Managing Director, Pfizer Ltd., said, “Pfizer has been present in India since 1950 and today has one of the most comprehensive presences in the country through large scale manufacturing and state-of-the-art R&D operations. Through the Pfizer INDovation platform, we are proud to have given wing to startups that are addressing important unmet needs in areas of Oncology, Digital Health, Devices and Diagnostics. We sincerely thank Department of Pharmaceuticals for their support in facilitating the partnership with NIPER-Ahmedabad. We look forward to welcoming our latest cohort of startups to this program and being a part of their journey to success.”

Dr. Chintan Vaishnav, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, said, “India’s healthcare ecosystem will be enriched by new digital breakthroughs brought to the market by startups driven by young innovative minds. These innovations will help facilitate broader disease awareness, quicker diagnosis, and better patient outcomes, inching us closer to our goal of a healthier India.”

Dr. Kshama Kothari, Director – Health and Wellness, Social Alpha, said, “Social Alpha believes that contextual innovations can help improve screening, diagnosis and healthcare delivery, furthering progress made towards health equity. In this edition of INDovation, we will support start-ups through the steps of product development and pre-clinical testing.”

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PGI Chandigarh, HIMCARE join hands for cashless treatment

Chandigarh: The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGI) here has signed an MoU with HIMCARE, a scheme of the Himachal Pradesh government to provide cashless treatment, an official said on Monday. 

The collaboration aims to streamline healthcare services and empower patients through the implementation of a cashless treatment initiative on the analogy of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna, benefitting around 5,000 patients from Himachal Pradesh on a yearly basis.

The MoU was signed in the presence of PGI Director Vivek Lal, Deputy Director, Administration, Pankaj Rai and HP Swasthya Bima Yojna Society Chief Executive Officer Ashwani Sharma.

Also Read:PGI Chandigarh starts yoga sessions for patients, caregivers at OPD

Under the agreement, PGI and HIMCARE will work together to enhance the healthcare experience for patients by facilitating cashless treatment.

PGI Director Lal said, “Through the partnership and the implementation of a cashless treatment initiative, we are poised to enhance accessibility and affordability, ultimately ensuring that no patient is denied the care they deserve due to financial constraints.”

Deputy Director Rai said, “Himachal Pradesh had started new scheme namely HIMCARE on January 1, 2019, for providing the facility of cashless treatment benefit up to Rs 5 lakh per year.

“On an average, 4,000 patients per year from Himachal Pradesh are availing treatment under the scheme at the PGI Chandigarh. However, the entire process of reimbursement under the scheme was very cumbersome and time-consuming and takes a minimum four-five months for reimbursement. To overcome this issue and for the benefit of HIMCARE beneficiaries, it has been decided to provide the cashless facility by the PGI on the analogy of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna.”  

Medical Dialogues team earlier reported that Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a 300-bed satellite centre of the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Punjab’s Sangrur and laid the foundation stone of a 100-bed facility in Ferozepur.   

Also Read:PM Modi dedicates 300-bed PGI satellite centre in Sangrur

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Sinusitis linked to 40% heightened risk of rheumatic disease

The common inflammatory condition sinusitis is linked to a 40% heightened risk of a subsequent diagnosis of rheumatic disease, particularly in the 5 to 10 years preceding the start of symptoms, finds research published in the open access journal RMD Open.

The risks seem to be greatest for a blood clotting disorder (antiphospholipid syndrome) and a condition that affects the body’s production of fluids, such as spit and tears, known as Sjögren’s syndrome, the findings indicate.

Sinusitis refers to inflammation of the lining of the sinuses, the small, air-filled cavities behind the cheekbones and forehead. And previously published research points to a link between various types of lung irritants, including air pollution and respiratory infections, and the development of rheumatoid arthritis, for example.

But it’s not clear if sinusitis might also be a potential predisposing factor for other types of rheumatic disease. In a bid to plug this knowledge gap, the researchers carried out a case-control study.

They used data from the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP), a medical records-linkage system of over 500,000 people resident in Olmsted County, Minnesota at some point between 1966 and 2014.

The study sample included 1729 adults, newly diagnosed with a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease, such as rheumatoid arthritis, antiphospholipid syndrome, and Sjögren’s syndrome; or vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation), such as giant cell arteritis (temporal artery inflammation) and polymyalgia rheumatica (muscle pain and stiffness).

Each of these patients (average age 63; two thirds women) was matched with 3 people (5187 in total) with no rheumatic disease, based on age at diagnosis and sex.

Cases of sinusitis before the diagnosis of rheumatic disease were divided into time segments of 1 to 5 years; 5 to 10 years; and 10 or more years.

Potentially influential factors were accounted for: age, weight (BMI), and smoking status at rheumatic disease diagnosis, sex, race and ethnicity.

The average time that elapsed between an episode of sinusitis and diagnosis of rheumatic disease was just over 7.5 years, with the most common diagnosis, rheumatoid arthritis (688) and polymyalgia rheumatica (610).

A history of sinusitis was associated with a 40% heightened risk of any new diagnosis of rheumatic disease, with the association strongest for systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases, such as antiphospholipid syndrome–7-fold increased risk—and Sjögren’s syndrome—more than double the risk.

Acute sinusitis was associated with an 18% heightened risk of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (symptoms but no detectable antibodies).

The association between sinusitis and newly diagnosed rheumatic disease was strongest in the 5–10 years preceding symptom start, where the risk was 70% higher, overall, but 3-fold higher for Sjögren’s syndrome and twice as high for polymyalgia rheumatica.

And the more frequent the episodes of sinusitis, the greater were the chances of a new rheumatic disease diagnosis. For example, those experiencing 7 or more were nearly 5 times as likely to be diagnosed with systemic autoimmune disease, nearly 9 times as likely to be diagnosed with Sjögren’s syndrome, and twice as likely to be diagnosed with vasculitis.

Serial episodes of sinusitis without a previous history also showed a significant dose-response association with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, rising to a quadrupling in risk for 5 or more episodes.

And overall, the association between sinusitis and rheumatic disease was strongest in people who had never smoked.

This is an observational study, and therefore no definitive conclusions can be drawn about causal factors. The researchers also acknowledge several limitations to their findings, including a predominantly White study population and few cases of certain types of rheumatic disease.

And reverse causation, whereby the rheumatic diseases themselves increase the risk of sinusitis, can’t be ruled out, they add.

But bacterial pathogens, such as those involved in sinusitis, might have a role in rheumatic disease, added to which sinusitis is associated with speeding up artery hardening, lending extra weight to its potential inflammatory effects, explain the researchers.

And they conclude: “Overall, these findings point towards a role for sinus inflammation in the presentation, and possibly pathogenesis, of rheumatic disease.”

Reference:

Kronzer VL, Davis JM, Hanson AC, et alAssociation between sinusitis and incident rheumatic diseases: a population-based studyRMD Open 2024;10:e003622. doi: 10.1136/rmdopen-2023-003622.

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