Doppler Ultrasound-Based Approach Reduces Complications in Pregnancies With Reduced Fetal Movements: Lancet Study

Netherlands: A new international study has found that using a cerebroplacental ratio (CPR)-based management approach in pregnancies at term—where women report reduced fetal movements—can help lower the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes, even in fetuses that are not classified as small-for-gestational-age (non-SGA). The findings, published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology & Women’s Health, were led by Dr. Laura Lens and her team from the University Medical Centre Groningen, Netherlands.

The cerebroplacental ratio is a Doppler ultrasound measurement that compares blood flow in the fetal brain and the umbilical cord. A low CPR suggests that the fetus may be redirecting blood flow to the brain due to placental dysfunction, an indication that the baby might be under stress despite appearing normally grown.

The CEPRA trial (Cerebroplacental Ratio-based Management) is the first randomized study to evaluate whether using this ratio to guide clinical decisions could improve outcomes in pregnancies where mothers feel reduced fetal movement, but the fetus is not underweight.

The study enrolled 1,815 pregnant women across 23 hospitals—22 in the Netherlands and one in Australia—between July 2020 and September 2024. All participants were carrying singleton pregnancies in a cephalic presentation at term and had reported reduced fetal movement. Women were eligible only if their estimated fetal weight was above the 10th percentile and there was no immediate reason for inducing labor.

Hospitals were randomly assigned to two groups: one where CPR results were disclosed and used to guide clinical management (revealed group), and the other where care proceeded according to usual hospital protocols without disclosing CPR values (concealed group). In the revealed group, women with a CPR below 1.1 were advised expedited delivery, while those with higher ratios continued with routine monitoring.

The study revealed the following findings:

  • A total of 1,684 women were in the modified intention-to-treat analysis.
  • Adverse perinatal outcomes occurred in 12% of women who received CPR-based management.
  • In the standard care group, adverse outcomes were in 15% of women; corresponding to a relative risk reduction of 24% in the CPR-guided group.
  • There were no stillbirths in either group.
  • One neonatal death occurred in each group.
  • The adverse outcomes included neonatal mortality, low five-minute Apgar scores, low umbilical artery pH, emergency births due to fetal distress, and severe neonatal morbidity.
  • Serious adverse events were slightly more common in the standard care group.
  • None of the serious adverse events were related to the study protocol.

The research offers a new perspective on managing pregnancies where reduced fetal movements are reported but fetal growth appears normal. “These findings suggest that CPR can help distinguish between cases that require early intervention and those that do not,” said co-author Dr. Sanne Gordijn. “This ensures that both mother and baby receive the care best suited to their situation.”

The authors concluded, “The study reinforces the value of Doppler-based screening in identifying hidden risks in term pregnancies. It provides a foundation for updating clinical guidelines in managing reduced fetal movements in non-SGA fetuses.”

Reference:

Lens, L. A., Posthuma, S., Damhuis, S. E., Burger, R. J., Groen, H., Duijnhoven, R. G., Kumar, S., Heazell, A. E. P., Khalil, A., Ganzevoort, W., & Gordijn, S. J. (2025). Cerebroplacental ratio-based management versus care as usual in non-small-for-gestational-age fetuses at term with maternal perceived reduced fetal movements (CEPRA): A multicentre, cluster-randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynaecology, & Women’s Health, 100002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanogw.2025.100002

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Low neighborhood walkability is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease: Study

Low neighbourhood walkability is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), according to research presented today at ESC Preventive Cardiology 2025,1 a scientific congress of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC).

The health benefits of physical activity are well established and yet more than a quarter of adults do not meet the recommended guideline of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. “Neighbourhoods designed to be walkable may help residents to choose active transportation, such as commute walking, rather than sedentary modes of travel like driving, and allow increased physical activity to be incorporated into daily life,” said presenter Dr. Erik Timmermans of University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands. Neighbourhood walkability can be defined as a composite measure of built environment characteristics that facilitate walking, with consideration of factors including land use mix, population density and green space density. “Evidence on the relationship between walkability and CVD is scarce and largely relies on cross-sectional studies. We conducted a longitudinal study to capture changes in walkability over time and relate them to CVD incidence in later years,” noted Dr. Timmermans.

The analysis included data from Statistics Netherlands for all 3,019,069 Dutch residents aged 40 years or older at baseline (2009), without a history of CVD and who did not move house after baseline. A nationwide, objectively measured walkability index was calculated for 500 m areas around their residential addresses. In this study, the walkability index consisted of six components: population density, retail and service density, land use mix, intersection density, green space density and sidewalk density, with geographical data provided by the Geoscience and Health Cohort Consortium. Latent class trajectory modelling was used to assess walkability changes over a 13-year period, from 1996 to 2008.

Data on the incidence of CVD from 2009 to 2019 was collected from the Dutch Hospital Discharge Register and the National Cause of Death Register. Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to analyse associations between walkability trajectories and subsequent CVD incidence, adjusted for individual- and area-level sociodemographic characteristics.

The median age of the study population at baseline was 57 years (interquartile range, 49 to 65 years). Four distinct trajectories of neighbourhood walkability were observed: a stable but relatively low walkability trajectory (91.1%), a stable but relatively higher walkability trajectory (0.6%), a relatively higher initial neighbourhood walkability that decreased over time (1.7%), and a relatively lower initial neighbourhood walkability that increased over time (6.5%). During a median follow-up of 11.0 years, 21.4% of individuals developed CVD. Among CVD outcomes, there were 81,600 deaths due to any CVD (2.7%).

Compared with stable high walkability, individuals exposed to stable low walkability had a 5.1% higher risk of any CVD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.051; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.011–1.093). Individuals exposed to increasing walkability had a 4.9% higher risk of any CVD compared with those exposed to stable high walkability (HR 1.049; 95% CI 1.008–1.092). Similar associations were observed for coronary heart disease and stroke but were not statistically significant. No significant associations were found for heart failure and CVD mortality.

Dr. Timmermans summarised the findings: “Adults exposed to low walkability over time – which was most individuals in our study – had a higher risk of CVD compared to those in stable high walkability neighbourhoods. Increasing walkability was also associated with higher CVD risk, which is likely due to the overall lower cumulative walkability during the exposure period that could have led to ingrained activity patterns or cardiometabolic risks that were not immediately reversible, even after walkability improved. Our results highlight the importance of long-term urban planning for cardiovascular health.” 

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Smoking Significantly Increases Psoriasis Relapse Risk, reveals research

Researchers have established that smoking tobacco has a high likelihood of increasing the risk of relapse in patients receiving treatment for psoriasis. The study was recently published in the journal of Psoriasis by Shen F. and fellow researchers. The results indicate that smoking not only influences the severity and onset of psoriasis but also potentially has a central part in reducing the success of long-term treatment, highlighting the extreme significance of giving up smoking in the care of chronic skin disorders.

551 adult psoriasis patients participated in the study, 75.7% of whom were male with a mean age of 45.8 years. A formal observational design was used, with information assessed by standardized questionnaire and physical examination at baseline, week 12, week 24, and week 48. Improvement was quantified by PASI scores. PASI50 and PASI75 indicated 50% and 75% improvement, respectively, and relapse was identified by the loss of at least 50% of this improvement after week 12. 282 out of the total participants were current smokers (51.2%). Researchers took special notice of the presence of smoking behavior and its level, which was measured through daily cigarette consumption and smoking duration.

Results

  • At week 12, the relapse rates among those who had reached PASI50 were 41.2% at week 24 and 61.6% at week 48.

  • In patients who reached PASI75, relapse rates were considerable but lower: 27.6% at week 24 and 51.7% at week 48.

  • Tobacco smokers particularly had very high relapse rates compared with non-smokers, especially in the PASI75 group.

  • Logistic regression analysis revealed that the risk of relapse was over twice as great among smokers than non-smokers, with an odds ratio of 2.10 (95% CI: 1.17–3.78) at week 24 and 1.84 (95% CI: 1.07–3.14) at week 48, even when controlling for other factors of influence.

  • Also, individuals with longer durations of smoking and larger daily cigarette consumption had greatest rates of relapse.

The results of this large observational study strongly suggest tobacco smoking as an important and modifiable risk factor for relapse of psoriasis. The findings highlight the importance of integrating smoking cessation programs in the treatment plan for psoriasis to maximize long-term treatment outcome and minimize risk for relapse. Dermatologists and physicians need to actively advise psoriasis patients on the increased risk of relapse linked with smoking and assist them in quitting cigarette smoking.

Reference:

Shen F, Ding Y, Qiang Y, Duan Z, Xu Q, Gao X, Zhang R, Wang R. Tobacco Smoking Was Positively Associated with Disease Relapse at week 24 and 48 Among Patients with Psoriasis Vulgaris in Shanghai: A Prospective Study. Psoriasis (Auckl). 2025;15:261-272

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Direct pulp capping or partial pulpotomy effective treatment of Carious Pulp Exposure in Reversible Pulpitis: Study

A new study published in the Journal of Endodontics revealed that teeth with reversible pulpitis and carious pulp exposure can be effectively treated using either direct pulp capping or partial pulpotomy, based on the intraoperative evaluation of the exposed pulp.

This double-blind, parallel randomized trial evaluated 140 mature permanent teeth in patients exhibiting either no symptoms or symptoms consistent with reversible pulpitis. The participants were randomly assigned to receive either direct pulp capping (67 teeth) or partial pulpotomy (73 teeth). All procedures were performed under magnification, with careful intraoperative hemostasis, and the same bioactive material (NeoPUTTY MTA) was used as the pulp capping agent.

Follow-up assessments were scheduled at 6 and 12 months, with both clinical and radiographic examinations performed to assess treatment success. Pre-treatment symptoms were present in roughly half of the cases (74 out of 140 teeth), with no statistical difference between the groups in terms of initial pain levels (p=0.75). Both treatment modalities resulted in significant pain reduction after one week (p<0.001), confirming short-term relief.

At the 6-month follow-up, failure was observed in 10 cases of direct pulp capping and 4 cases of partial pulpotomy. This translated to success rates of 94.4% for partial pulpotomy and 84.4% for direct pulp capping, a difference that approached but did not reach statistical significance (P=0.057).

At the 12-month mark, an additional two failures were reported in each group, yielding final success rates of 91.5% for partial pulpotomy and 81.3% for direct pulp capping. Again, while these findings suggested a trend favoring partial pulpotomy, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.08).

Multivariate regression analysis revealed no significant prognostic indicators influencing treatment outcomes for either technique, which reinforced that both are viable options depending on case-specific clinical judgment.

The results suggest that partial pulpotomy may offer a marginally higher success rate in treating reversible pulpitis in cariously exposed mature permanent teeth. Both treatments showed excellent pain reduction and high success rates, but the slightly improved durability of partial pulpotomy may guide clinicians when choosing between the two, especially when pulp vitality is confirmed and bleeding is well-controlled.

Overall, the findings underline the importance of intraoperative evaluation and reinforce that, in the absence of firm guidelines, clinical discretion remains key in selecting the appropriate therapy.

Source:

Taha, N. A., Jaradat, H. B., DkmaK, A., & Abidin, I. Z. (2025). Carious pulp exposure in mature teeth with reversible pulpitis: a randomized clinical trial of direct pulp capping and partial pulpotomy. Journal of Endodontics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joen.2025.06.019

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A new cell therapy for leukaemia shows high efficacy and safety in the laboratory: Study

T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (T-ALL) is a highly aggressive form of blood cancer that can occur in both children and adults. It is characterised by failures in the maturation of T-lymphocytes, key immune cells involved in the defence against infections and cancer, which, instead of performing their function, proliferate uncontrollably in the bone marrow. While the cure rate in children exceeds 80%, in adults it remains at around 40% and is associated with a high probability of relapse following chemotherapy.

However, advances in the field of immunotherapy, especially CAR-T cell treatments that show remarkable results in other blood cancers, have not yet reached T-ALL. This is precisely because the cells affected are the same cells used in these therapies, T-lymphocytes. Identifying markers that are in tumour lymphocytes and not in healthy T-lymphocytes, thus avoiding fratricidal attack, is particularly complicated.

Finding a way to distinguish leukaemic T-cells from healthy ones is just what Dr Pablo Menéndez’s team at the Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute has now achieved, with the support of Dr Diego Sánchez, ARAID researcher at the Aragon Health Research Institute, and the biotech company OneChain Immunotherapeutics, a spin-off of the Josep Carreras Institute. Their research has demonstrated that the proteins CD1a and CCR9 are present in the leukaemic cells of most T-ALL patients, but are not appreciably expressed in healthy cells or other parts of the body.

Thanks to this discovery, published in the Journal of Hematology & Oncology, one of the leading journals in the field, the scientific team has been able to develop and test in the laboratory the first dual CAR-T cell therapy targeting T-ALL. Experimental results show that these new CAR-T cells attack cells that express both CD1a and CCR9, as well as those expressing only one of the two, and that they can effectively control the disease in both in vitro and in vivo models.

The ability to target two antigens simultaneously makes this therapy significantly more effective than those focusing on only one, as demonstrated in the study. It also broadens its applicability to patients with heterogeneous T-ALL, in which the expression levels of the two targets vary among leukaemic cells.

Moreover, unlike previous attempts, these new dual CAR-T cells targeting CD1a and CCR9 spare both healthy T lymphocytes and themselves, as well as other bone marrow cells, resulting in an excellent safety profile. These findings, combined with previous evidence from the same research team and others internationally, open the door to the clinical development of what could become the first effective cell therapy against T-ALL in the medium term.

Reference:

Tirado, N., Fidyt, K., Mansilla, M.J. et al. CAR-T cells targeting CCR9 and CD1a for the treatment of T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. J Hematol Oncol 18, 69 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13045-025-01715-0.

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Methotrexate Fails to Show Benefit in Knee Osteoarthritis Trial

A new study published in the Journal of American Medical Association showed that methotrexate flops to show benefit in knee osteoarthritis trial. Despite earlier signs of pain relief in hand osteoarthritis, methotrexate did not improve pain or joint inflammation in a placebo-controlled trial for knee OA.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the leading cause of disability globally due to the population’s rapid aging. Chronic joint pain and functional impairment are hallmarks of OA, which significantly lowers a person’s quality of life. The absence of effective treatments to treat OA symptoms or to halt the disease process and related structural development is one of the main obstacles to lessening the burden of OA on people and society.

According to a recent study, people with inflammatory hand osteoarthritis may experience less joint discomfort while using methotrexate. Whether methotrexate has comparable effects on inflammatory knee OA is yet unclear, though. Thus, to determine if methotrexate has symptom-relieving and disease-modifying effects for individuals with knee OA and effusion-synovitis, this study was carried out.

This clinical study that took place in 11 locations in China from July 18, 2019, until January 15, 2023. The patients with inflammatory knee OA who lived in the community and had effusion-synovitis on magnetic resonance imaging were included. Stratified by trial location, participants were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive either a placebo or methotrexate up to 15 mg weekly using block randomization. Over a 52-week period, the main outcomes for the intention-to-treat group were the change in knee visual analog scale (VAS) pain and the change in effusion-synovitis maximum area.

Out of the 278 individuals who underwent screening, 215 (mean [SD] age, 60.4 [7.4] years; 191 [89%] female) were randomly assigned to one of two groups (108 to receive methotrexate, 107 to receive a placebo), and 175 (81%) finished the experiment.

Over the course of 52 weeks, there was no significant difference in the changes in VAS pain or effusion-synovitis maximum area between the methotrexate and placebo groups (between-group difference: 0.3 mm [95% CI, −6.7 to 7.3 mm] for VAS pain; 0.1 cm2 [95% CI, −0.8 to 1.0 cm2] for effusion-synovitis maximal area).

None of the predetermined secondary outcomes showed any discernible differences between groups. About 32 individuals (29.6%) in the methotrexate group and 26 participants (24.3%) in the placebo group experienced at least one adverse event. Overall, in a placebo-controlled trial for knee OA, methotrexate did not reduce pain or joint inflammation, despite prior indications of pain alleviation in hand osteoarthritis.

Source:

Zhu, Z., Yu, Q., Leng, X., Xu, J., Ren, L., Wang, K., Huang, C., Pan, Y., Zhao, Y., Li, T., Mei, Y., Guan, M., Li, X., Zhang, Z., Wu, J., Chen, Y., Qu, Y., Zhu, X., Liao, Q., … Ding, C. (2025). Low-dose methotrexate for the treatment of inflammatory knee osteoarthritis: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.1359

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Early antibiotics may alter immune function in infants, suggests study

A new study led by researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) found that early-life exposure to antibiotics can impair an infant’s developing immune system, and that a naturally occurring metabolite may hold the key to reversing that damage.

Published in Cell, the study uncovered how antibiotic exposure during pregnancy and infancy may permanently weaken the immune system’s ability to fight respiratory infections like the flu. By analyzing both mouse models and human infant lung tissue, the researchers discovered that early antibiotics disrupt the gut microbiome’s ability to produce inosine, a molecule that serves as an important signal for developing immune cells.

By supplementing inosine in mice, however, the researchers were able to correct the immune system issues caused by antibiotics. The finding opens the door to potential therapeutic strategies to bolster immune memory in vulnerable infants.

“Think of inosine as a molecular messenger,” said senior author Hitesh Deshmukh, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Neonatology at UR Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital (GCH). “It travels from the gut to developing immune cells, telling them how to mature properly and prepare for future infections.”

The project was part of a long-term R35-funded NIH initiative — which are distributed to experienced investigators to study long-term projects — to investigate how early-life exposures shape lifelong disease risk, including asthma and chronic lung disease.

“We know that antibiotics can be lifesaving for infants, but they also disrupt the microbiome during a critical window of immune development,” said Deshmukh. “Our study identifies one way that disruption affects lung immunity, and more importantly, a way to potentially fix it.”

The disruption ultimately affects the formation of tissue-resident memory T cells, a specialized population of immune cells that reside in the lungs and provide long-term protection against viral infections. Without these cells, infants may remain vulnerable to severe respiratory illness well into adulthood.

“We’ve discovered that the gut microbiome acts as a teacher for the developing immune system,” Deshmukh explained. “When antibiotics disrupt this natural education process, it’s like removing key chapters from a textbook: the immune system never learns crucial lessons about fighting respiratory infections.”

The study compared infant mice exposed to common antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamicin, and vancomycin-the same ones frequently used in pregnant women and newborns) with those that maintained their natural gut bacteria. The following differences were found:

  • Antibiotic-exposed infant mice had significantly reduced populations of protective CD8+ T cells in their lungs
  • These mice showed impaired ability to form tissue-resident memory cells, specialized immune cells that live in the lungs and provide rapid protection against reinfection
  • The immune deficits persisted into adulthood, suggesting permanent changes to immune development

Using lung samples from an NIH-funded biobank run by URMC (BRINDL biobank), the team confirmed that similar immune deficits were present in human infants exposed to antibiotics. These infants not only showed fewer memory T cells but also demonstrated gene expression patterns similar to older adults, who are also at greater risk for respiratory infections.

Most importantly, supplementing antibiotic-exposed mice with inosine largely restored their ability to develop functional memory T cells and mount effective immune responses, offering a promising future avenue for potential therapies.

“This suggests we might be able to protect at-risk infants through targeted supplementation,” said Deshmukh. “While much more research is needed before this approach could be applied clinically, it gives us a path forward.”

The findings could influence future research on how to design interventions-including dietary supplements, metabolite therapies, or microbiome-supportive strategies—to help newborns develop stronger immune memory without relying solely on antibiotics or risky probiotics. The study also underscores the importance of balancing the life-saving benefits of antibiotics with careful stewardship, particularly during sensitive windows of immune development.

Deshmukh credits GCH neonatologist Gloria Pryhuber, MD, as instrumental in the research. Pryhuber’s BRINDL biobank of infant lung samples, collected through a 15-year NIH-funded effort, allowed the team to test their findings in human cells.

“This paper wouldn’t have been possible without Dr. Pryhuber’s generosity and expertise,” Deshmukh said. “The ability to compare our mouse model results to human cells was absolutely critical. It was one of the main reasons I came to Rochester (from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital) -to collaborate with her.”

Reference:

Stevens, Joseph et al., Microbiota-derived inosine programs protective CD8+ T cell responses against influenza in newborns, Cell, DOI:10.1016/j.cell.2025.05.013 

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Odisha NEET 2025 Counselling Begins- check complete schedule, eligibility criteria here

Odisha- Odisha has started the National Eligibility and Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET UG) Round 1 counselling for the academic year 2025 from July 22, 2025, on the official website of the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) board. This state-level counselling process is important for NEET-qualified candidates seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses under 85% state quota seats in Odisha.

In this regard, the OJEE board has issued a notification detailing the guidelines/instructions for the registration process for the preparation of the state merit list based on NEET UG 2025 All India Rank (AIR), which will be used for subsequent counselling & admission in the state quota seats of state MBBS and BDS Courses 2025-26.

The Odisha NEET counselling process consists of four rounds, including spot counselling. However, further rounds will be conducted based on the vacant seats. Except for institute reporting and document verification purposes, the Odisha NEET counselling 2025 process will be conducted in online mode. Below is the complete schedule-

Also Read: UP DGME commences Round 1 NEET 2025 counselling registrations, check complete details

SCHEDULE

S.NO

PARTICULARS

DATES

1

Round 1 Registration & Choice Filling

July 22–26, 2025

2

Document Verification.

July 29–31, 2025

3

Provisional Merit List Release.

August 2, 2025

4

Choice Locking Deadline.

August 3, 2025

5

Round 1 Seat Allotment Result.

August 6, 2025

6

Reporting to Colleges (Round 1).

August 7–12, 2025

7

Round 2 Registration (if applicable).

September 2025

8

Mop-up Round & Stray Vacancy Rounds.

October 2025

ELIGIBILITY

1 The only people eligible to apply for Odisha NEET 2025 counselling are Indian citizens, OCIs, NRIs, and PIOs.

2 Candidates must have passed the Science stream, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and English sections of the Class 12 Board exam. They must also have received at least 50% of the possible points in Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at the Class 12 Science level for General Candidates (GE), 40% for SC/ST candidates, and 45% for benchmark disability candidates (PC-GE). For candidates in the SC/ST category who are physically challenged, a minimum score of 40% is necessary.

3 To apply for the Odisha MBBS/BDS 2025 counselling, a candidate must have passed the NEET 2025 test. The counselling process won’t be open to those who haven’t applied for or qualified for NEET 2025.

ELIGIBILITY FOR NRI

1 The NRI candidates, who have qualified the NEET UG 2025, are eligible.

2 NRI means the children or wards of a person of Indian origin residing outside India. Such candidates have to submit the following documents in support of NRI eligibility.

i Documents claiming that the sponsor is an NRI (Passport, Visa of the sponsor).

ii Relation of NRI with the candidate.

iii Affidavit from the sponsor that he/she will sponsor the entire course fee of the candidate, duly notarised.

iv Embassy Certificate of the Sponsorer (Certificate from the Consulate).

v All affidavits done in foreign countries must be endorsed by the Embassy of India for authentication purposes.

STEPS TO REGISTER FOR THE ODISHA NEET UG 2025 COUNSELLING

STEP 1- Go directly to the official Odisha NEET 2025 counselling website, or Select “New Candidate Registration”.

STEP 2- Click the ‘I Agree’ checkbox after reading the guide.

STEP 3- After entering the candidate’s name, date of birth, gender, security pin, and NEET application number, click Submit.

STEP 4- Upload the required files and enter additional required information.

STEP 5- Pay the INR 1,000 registration cost online with a credit card, debit card, or net banking.

DOCUMENTS

1 NEET 2025 scorecard.

2 NEET 2025 admit card.

3 Marksheet and certificates of Class 10.

4 Marksheet and certificates of Class 12.

5 Domicile Certificate (if applicable).

6 Caste/Community Certificate (if applicable).

7 PwD Certificate (if applicable).

RESERVATION

The reservation policy of State Government will be followed for selection, and shall be Scheduled Tribe (ST) – 12%, Scheduled Caste (SC) – 8%, Physically Challenged (PC) – 5% of each category, Ex-Servicemen (ES) – 3%, Green Card Holders (GC) – 5%, State Government Schools (SG) – 15% (shall be horizontal covering all vertical reservations as well as unreserved Group) and EWS – 10% (when appropriate number of seats have been increased to accommodate such EWS quota). (Any other reservation category, if notified by the Govt., shall also be applicable.)

FEE STRUCTURE

S.NO

COLLEGE

FEES

1

Hi-Tech MCH, Bhubaneswar

6,50,000

2

Hi-Tech MCH, Rourkela

5,50,000

3

DRIEMS Institute of Health Sciences & Hospital

6,50,000

SEAT MATRIX

S.NO

COLLEGE NAME

MBBS SEATS

BDS SEATS

1

MKCG Medical College, Berhampur

250

–

2

SCB Medical College, Cuttack

250

63

3

VIMSAR, Burla

200

–

4

Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences, Bhubaneswar

250

100

5

Hi-Tech Medical College, Rourkela

100

100

6

Institute of Dental Sciences, Bhubaneswar

–

100

7

Others (Govt. & Pvt.)

850

–

TOTAL

2,100 MBBS

363 BDS

To view the notification, click the link below 

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/notification-295686.pdf

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NPPA Panel Rejects Dr Reddy’s Omez ODT Plea For Seperate Price, Finds No Therapeutic Edge

New Delhi: In a decisive move against what it viewed as an unjustified price escalation, the Multi-Disciplinary Committee (MDC) under India’s drug pricing regulator, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), has rejected Dr Reddy’s Laboratories’ application for a special price of Rs 17.90 per tablet (excluding GST) for its Omeprazole orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) 20 mg, branded as Omez ODT.

The Committee found no sufficient therapeutic justification to support the request, calling the formulation “a tablet dosage form already covered under the Schedule-I of DPCO, 2013.”

According to minutes from the 66th MDC meeting held on March 3, 2025, the company initially approached the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on November 6, 2024, seeking a separate/special price under Para 11(3) of DPCO, 2013. However, the panel pointed out that the existing ceiling price for Omeprazole 20 mg tablet is Rs 4.42 per tablet (S.O. No. 1489(E) dated 27.03.2025), significantly lower than the price sought.

Earlier in the 64th meeting on December 6, 2024, the Committee examined Dr. Reddy’s technical arguments but found them lacking. It clearly noted:

“There is no incremental specified therapeutic rationale of Omeprazole Orally Disintegrating tablet over the Omeprazole Enteric Coated Tablets.”

On that basis, the Committee had recommended rejecting the application. Following this, Dr. Reddy’s submitted a representation on December 24, 2024, requesting a personal hearing and was allowed to present its case during the 65th MDC meeting on January 23, 2025.

After further deliberations and submission of additional documents via email dated January 24, 2025, the Committee met again in its 66th session to re-examine the applicability of Para 11(3). The Committee observed that the provision of the Para 11(3) of the DPCO, 2013 read as below:

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-paragraph (1) and (2), in the case of injections or inhalation or any other medicine for which dosage form or strength or both are not specified in the Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, the Government may fix and notify separate ceiling price or retail price for such formulations with specified therapeutic rationale, considering the type of packaging or pack size or dosage compliance or content in the pack namely liquid, gaseous or any other form, in the unit dosage as the case may be, conforming to Indian Pharmacopeia or other standards as specified in the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940) and the rules made thereunder for the same formulation.

It reiterated the scope of the provision: “Para 11(3) may be invoked in case of injections or inhalation or any other medicine for which dosage form or strength or both are not specified in the Schedule-I.”

The panel made it unequivocal that Omez ODT doesn’t qualify:

“The applied formulation is in tablet form and the dosage & strength of the same is mentioned in the Schedule-I. Therefore, the current application does not fall in the purview of Para 11(3).”

The Committee thus reaffirmed its earlier stance and formally recommended to reject the application. It noted;

“The current application does not fall in the purview of Para 11(3). Hence, the committee recommended to reject the application.”

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Study finds health care provider stigma toward substance use disorder varies sharply by condition and provider

A new national study from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, with colleagues at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, University of Chicago, National Opinion Research Center, and Emory University finds that stigma toward patients with substance use disorders (SUD) remains widespread among U.S. health care providers—and varies significantly across types of substances.

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