Health Bulletin 22/June/2022

Here are the top health stories for the day:

Now TDS on free Physician Samples, Doctors under Income Tax Net  

In what is going to bring a major setback to the traditional pharma marketing of providing free physician's samples as well as various other freebies to doctors, the new Government of India guidelines are going to hold doctors accountable for such benefits by being liable towards a 10% TDS on the value of freebies received. Besides free samples, this will also be applicable to various kinds of other freebies which may include foreign flight tickets or free Indian premier League (IPL) tickets in the course of business and more.

For more details, check out the full story on the link below:

Now TDS On Free Physician Samples, Doctors Under Income Tax Net 

Biocon executive among 5 held in 'bribery' case    

Brewing controversy, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleged senior Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) officials colluded with Biocon Biologics to waive the phase-3 clinical trial of the diabetes drug 'Insulin Aspart injection'. However, Biocon has refuted the allegation reiterating that it strongly condemns all acts of bribery and corruption.

The FIR filed by CBI in the alleged bribery case involving pharma companies and drug control officials claims that Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) official S Eswara Reddy, who had been dealing with processing of files related to applications for approval of drugs and vaccines by various pharma companies, had been referred three files of Biocon Biologics Limited, Bengaluru, including one related to waiver of phase III clinical trials of "Insulin Aspart" injection.

For more details, check out the full story on the link below:

Product Approvals Legitimate: Biocon After CBI Detains CDSCO Officials In Kickback Case

Facebook collecting medical Info from hospital websites       

As per the investigative report jointly published by STAT and The Markup, a tracking tool on approximately one third of hospital websites in the United States has sent private patient information to Facebook.

IIT Roorkee develops device to detect schizophrenia, Parkinson's at early stages               

Scientists at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee have recently developed a dopamine sensor device that they claim can effectively detect neurological diseases like schizophrenia and Parkinson's at starting stage.

The team used graphene quantum dot mixed with sulphur and boron for fabricating the sensors.

In Thiruvananthapuram: Capsule-size pacemaker saves life of 72-year-old's           

The doctor at KIMS Health has successfully fixed a leadless (capsule-size) pacemaker in the heart of a 72-year-old patient in an uncommon medical process.

Doctors made use of a vein along the patient's leg by opening it with a needle and sending it up the body to be deposited in the heart in leadless pacemaker case.