Health Bulletin 16/October/2023

Here are the Top Health stories for the day:

Breakthrough Made-In-India CAR-T Cell therapy NexCAR19 gets DCGI nod for blood cancer treatment

Immunoadoptive Cell Therapy Private Limited (“ImmunoACT”) has received the marketing authorization approval for the first humanized CD19-targeted Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy product for relapsed / refractory (r/r) B-cell lymphomas and leukemia in India.

NexCAR19 is an indigenously developed CD19 targeted CAR-T cell therapy. It is the first-of-its kind, a Made-in-India product.

The multi-center Phase I/ II pivotal clinical trial, led by Dr Hasmukh Jain, was conducted with 60 patients of r/r B-cell lymphomas and leukemia. The clinical data indicates ~70% overall response rate (ORR). The safety profile in terms of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and absence of neurotoxicity indicates a significant improvement over the other commercially approved CD19-directed CAR-T cell therapies.

For more details, check out the link given below:

Breakthrough Made-In-India CAR-T Cell Therapy NexCAR19 Gets DCGI Nod For Blood Cancer Treatment

Altogether 86 MBBS seats lying vacant, Tamil Nadu urges Union Govt for another round of counselling

Following the closure of the MBBS admission deadline on September 30, a total number of 86 MBBS seats are lying vacant in Tamil Nadu. The number includes 16 MBBS seats belonging to government-run medical colleges, 3 seats in All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madurai, 50 MBBS seats in deemed universities, and 17 in self-financing medical colleges.

In an attempt to save these MBBS seats, the Tamil Nadu State Government recently wrote to the Central Government seeking an extension of counselling deadline and return of unfilled seats to the State.

For more details, check out the link given below:

Altogether 86 MBBS Seats Lying Vacant, Tamil Nadu Urges Union Govt For Another Round Of Counselling

NMC invites applications for eligibility certificate for FMGE December 2023, deadline till October 25th

Through a recent notice, the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has informed that the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) Screening Test may be scheduled tentatively in December 2023, and for this, the Commission invited applications for the mandatory Eligibility Certificates.

The Ethics Board of NMC clarified that candidates are not permitted to apply for FMGE Screening Test without the Eligibility Certificate and therefore it directed the candidates who do not have the eligibility certificate to apply for the same through NMC website within October 25, 2023.

For more details, check out the link given below:

NMC Invites Applications For Eligibility Certificate For FMGE December 2023, Deadline Till October 25th

Failure to detect foetal anomaly: Kerala Gynaecologists, Hospital slapped Rs 82 lakh compensation

The Kerala State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (SDRC) has directed a private hospital in Pathanamthitta and two gynaecologists to pay a compensation of Rs 82 lakh to a child and his parents for gross medical negligence, resulting in the child being born without lower limbs and hip.

A commission bench, comprising judicial members Ajith Kumar D. and Radhakrishnan K.R., was dealing with a complaint filed under section 12 of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 by the patient and her husband against the private Kerala hospital and two doctors, alleging medical negligence leading to severe consequences for their child.

For more details, check out the link given below:

Failure To Detect Foetal Anomaly: Kerala Gynaecologists, Hospital Slapped Rs 82 Lakh Compensation