Health Bulletin 07/February/2024

Here are the top health news for the day:

FMGE December 2023 results out

Recently through a notice, the National Board of Examination (NBE) in Medical Sciences has announced the result of the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) (Screening Test) for the December 2023 session.

The Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) for December 2023 was held on January 20, 2024. As per the notice, the FMGE results have been released, and students can view them on NBEMS's official website, which is mentioned in the notice. Along with this, the candidates who have appeared in the FMGE-December 2023 session can download their scorecard from the NBEMS website itself.

For the full story, check out the link given below:

NBE Announces FMGE December 2023 Results

Doctors ask government to explain what is gross medical negligence

Highlighting that medical professionals are constrained to take a calibrated risk often which makes it "difficult to define gross negligence", the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has urged the Union Government to clarify the new criminal laws for prosecuting doctors.

In a letter addressed to the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, IMA urged the Central Government to issue an executive order on criminal prosecution of doctors insisting that such an order "may protect doctors being harassed under criminal law."

For the full story, check out the link given below:

What Is Meant By Gross Medical Negligence? Doctors Ask Govt To Clarify

Kerala HC denies bail, rejects CBI probe plea in Dr. Vandana Das murder case

Noting that no specific reasons were pointed out to doubt the integrity or credibility of the investigation, the Kerala High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking a transfer of probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the brutal killing of Dr Vandana Das by a patient at a taluk hospital in Kollam district in May last year.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas rejected the plea moved by the deceased’s father alleging that the police, “In a haste to wash their hands clean”, had fabricated the First Information Statement.

The court said that the parents of the deceased doctor in their plea did not point out allegations of any criminal intent or act committed by any of the police officers involved in the case and only alleged an act of cowardice by the police which is not a serious reason for the case to be transferred to the CBI.

For the full story, check out the link given below:

Dr Vandana Das Murder Case: Kerala HC Denies Bail To Accused, Dismisses Plea For CBI Probe

Women's antidepressant uses spikes post-breakup, study finds

Ever wondered how breakups and the loss of a loved one impact men and women differently? A study examining antidepressant usage among over 200,000 individuals aged 50 to 70 in Finland from 1996 to 2018 sheds light on this. Before a breakup, both genders showed an uptick in antidepressant use, but women seemed to be hit harder. In the four years leading up to a split, women's usage increased significantly more than men's, and even after, they continued relying more on antidepressants compared to their pre-breakup days. Gender-specific family roles, responsibilities, and economic disparities likely contribute to this discrepancy, as women often bear more caregiving and household duties. Despite facing more challenges, women tend to have broader social networks and stronger social support, which might help them cope better. When it comes to the loss of a partner, both genders saw an increase in antidepressant usage leading up to the event, but women experienced a more significant spike, especially in the months surrounding the bereavement. Interestingly, more men than women entered new relationships within a couple of years after a breakup or loss. It's an intriguing glimpse into how gender dynamics play out in the realm of relationships and emotional well-being.

Reference: Hu Y, Metsä-Simola N, Malmberg S, et al Trajectories of antidepressant use before and after union dissolution and re-partnering in later life: a prospective total population register-based cohort study, J Epidemiol Community Health, DOI: 10.1136/jech-2023-221529