Health Bulletin 20/June/2023

Here are the top health stories for the day:

NEET PG Counselling to begin soon, NMC relief on existing recognised PG seats for admissions, decides on 1870 applications

In a major relief to the NEET PG aspirants, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has allowed all the existing recognised PG Broad Speciality seats available with the medical colleges/institutes to be considered for admission for the academic session of 2023 and the seat matrix will be prepared accordingly.

The Postgraduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB) of NMC has taken this decision as it took note of the fact that the counselling process for PG medical admission on the basis of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET-PG) examination 2023 is going to start soon.

For more details, check out the link given below:

NEET PG Counselling To Begin Soon, NMC Relief On Existing Recognised PG Seats For Admissions, Decides On 1870 Applications

CDSCO Drug Alert: 27 drug samples flagged

In its latest drug safety alert, the apex drug regulatory body, Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has flagged 27 medicine batches for failing to qualify for a random drug sample test for the month of May– 2023, while one drug sample has been declared Spurious.

These drug samples which are declared not of standard quality include Jackson Laboratories' Bupivacaine Heavy (Bupivacaine Hydrochloride in Dextrose Injection USP 4 ml), Alves Healthcare's Doxycycline Capsules IP, Terrace Pharmaceuticals' Teripil -80 (Telmisartan Tablets I.P.), Bengal Chemical and Pharmaceuticals' Ofloxacin and Ornidazole Tablets IP, Zee Laboratories' MONAMOX-CL 625 (Amoxycillin& Potassium Clavulanate Tablets I.P.) and others.

For more details, check out the link given below:

CDSCO Drug Alert: 27 Drug Samples Flagged

BHMS graduate uses MBBS doctor's credentials for manning ICU, arrested

Police have arrested a Bachelor of Homeopathic Medicine and Surgery (BHMS) graduate for allegedly using the registration number and name of an MBBS doctor.

According to Mulund Police, using the credentials of an MBBS doctor Dr Maurya, the 30-year-old BHMS graduate Jadhav was allegedly manning the ICU at the MT Agarwal Hospital. Dr Maurya was unaware of the fact that his name and registration number were being used by someone else.

For more details, check out the link given below:

BHMS Graduate Uses MBBS Doctor's Credentials For Manning ICU, Arrested

An oral probiotic might treat dry eye disease: Research

In a study by a research group at Baylor College of Medicine, oral administration of a commercially available probiotic bacterial strain was found to improve dry eye disease in an animal model. The findings were presented at ASM Microbe 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.

Dry eye, a common condition in which tears produced by the eye can’t keep the eye adequately lubricated, afflicts approximately 1 in 20 people in the United States. It can cause eye stinging and burning, inflammation, blurry vision and light sensitivity. Extreme cases can result in damage to the eye’s surface if left untreated. The most common treatments involve the application of eye drops, gels or ointment. This new, unconventional treatment involves bacteria in the intestinal tract.

Reference: An oral probiotic can treat dry eye disease, American Society for Microbiology, Meeting- ASM Microbe 2023