Health Bulletin 05/December/2023

Here are the top health stories for the day:

First-year MBBS student of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College ends life, students allege harassment, demand resignation of anatomy faculty

In an unfortunate incident, a first-year medical student of the 2022 batch of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital, Bhagalpur, committed suicide by hanging himself with the help of a skipping rope in his hostel room on Saturday.

The deceased has been identified as Rajeev Ranjan. He was studying for MBBS at the medical college.

Students at the medical college alleged that Ranjan's depression was caused by the alleged trauma and mental stress inflicted upon him by the toxic management and teachers of the Anatomy department. He was having a hard time coping with the recent exam results, as he had reportedly failed in two to three papers.

For more details, check out the link given below:

First-Year MBBS Student Of Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Ends Life, Students Allege Harassment, Demand Resignation Of Anatomy Faculty

Drug safety alert: Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission flags adverse drug reaction linked to mefenamic acid

The Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), through its recently issued drug safety alert for the month of November, has revealed that a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agent Mefenamic Acid, indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate pain, and primary dysmenorrhea, is linked with adverse drug reactions (ADRs) named Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms (DRESS) Syndrome.

For more details, check out the link given below:

Drug Safety Alert: Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission Flags Adverse Drug Reaction Linked To Mefenamic Acid

Does your dog know you’re pregnant?

Dogs, with their remarkable sense of smell, are often thought to be capable of detecting changes in a person's scent, particularly during pregnancy. Dr. Ann Hohenhaus, a staff doctor at New York City’s Animal Medical Center, points out that dogs have 60 times more smell receptors than humans, along with 40 times more brainpower dedicated to smell. This heightened olfactory ability allows dogs to distinguish between various scents, including those resulting from hormonal changes during pregnancy.

While it's challenging to pinpoint the exact moment a dog senses pregnancy, it's clear that they can detect changes in scent. However, experts emphasize that dogs may not comprehend the reason for these changes. Dogs are highly observant of both physical and behavioral alterations in their owners, responding with curiosity or interest.

Behaviorist and dog trainer Russ Hartstein explains that dogs, being sensitive and attuned to subtle cues, may react differently to a pregnant owner. Some dogs may become protective, while others might exhibit fear or indifference.

Medical Shodhganga: NMC develops a thesis topics repository to help PG medicos

Bringing good news to the postgraduate medical students, the National Medical Commission (NMC) announced that it has developed a thesis topics repository for the Indian Medical Postgraduate theses.

The repository, named Medical Shodhganga, has been developed by the Commission in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to help postgraduate medical students in case they find it problematic to select thesis topics.

For more details, check out the link given below:

Medical Shodhganga: NMC Develops A Thesis Topics Repository To Help PG Medicos