IIM Indore students hurt after stage collapses

More than 40 students of the Indian Institute of Management at Indore (IIM-I) were injured after a stage collapsed hours before their 15th convocation ceremony at the institute's Rau campus on Saturday morning.

Around 50 students had climbed onto the stage for a group photograph when the accident took place, said IIM-I spokesperson Akhtar Parvez.

After the accident, the students were rushed to the nearby Unique Hospital and the Indian Institute of Head and Neck Oncology. Most of them were discharged after being given first aid.

Dr Digpal Dharkar, secretary, Indian Institute of Head and Neck Oncology, said two students had sustained fractures, three had to be given stitches while the rest were given primary treatment and released.

More than 400 students will take part in the convocation ceremony, which was scheduled to start at 4pm on Saturday. Parvez said the ceremony had been postponed by two hours.

Max Healthcare, GE Healthcare sign partnership agreement to advance standard of cancer care in India

Max Healthcare, a leading healthcare services provider and GE Healthcare, have inked a  strategic partnership to advance the standard of cancer care in India through collaborative research and co-creation of futuristic, multifaceted cancer management solutions.

A pact was signed to this effect by Dr. Ajay Bakshi,managing director & chief executive officer Max Healthcare and Terri Bresenham, president & chief executive officer GE Healthcare South Asia, in presence of Analjit Singh, chairman, Max India Group; John Dineen, president & chief executive officer, GE Healthcare; Rahul Khosla, managing director Max India Ltd; Banmali Agrawala, president & chief excutive officer, GE South Asia; and Dr Harit Chaturvedi, chairman - Oncology, Max Healthcare.

 “There is an alarming increase in the incidence of cancer in India. Inadequate screening and a severe shortage of oncologists and other trained staff further compound the problem. With advanced healthcare infrastructure and the availability of one of the largest pools of clinical talent in the country, comprising of 45 oncologists and 220 trained oncology support staff, Max Healthcare is uniquely positioned to partner with GE Healthcare to set new standards for cancer care by innovating on clinical protocols, technology and systems, stated Dr. Bakshi.

 “Through this partnership with Max Healthcare, we aim to understand the fingerprint of specific cancers in India and co-develop disruptive solutions”, said John Dineen, president & chief executive officer, GE Healthcare.

As one of the most relevant global cancer diagnostic companies, GE is devoting an even greater share of R&D budget of US $ 1 billion to continue developing disruptive oncology solutions.

The partnership will give emphasis to the creation of  a first of its kind Centre of Excellence for Cancer in India at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Delhi. The Centre will be equipped with the latest technology solutions like medical imaging, molecular diagnostics, healthcare IT solutions to integrate data, and processes, etc.

According to  Dr Harit Chaturvedi, Max Healthcare facility receives around 10,000 patients every year and the numbers are increasing by the day. With this collaboration with GE Healthcare, we aim to bring together clinical and basic research to find new solutions to cancer. The virtual tumour board will enable experts from different geographies and time zones to review each case of cancer and propose specific solutions for patients.

Source: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=81091&sid=2

Dr. Reddy's Announces the Launch of Amlodipine Besylate and Atorvastatin Calcium Tablets

India, Mar 27, 2014 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories announced today that it has launched Amlodipine Besylate and Atorvastatin Calcium Tablets 2.5/10mg, 2.5/20mg, 2.5/40mg, 5/10mg, 5/20mg, 5/40mg, 5/80mg, 10/10mg, 10/20mg, 10/40mg and 10/80 mg a therapeutic equivalent generic version of CADUET® (amlodipine Besylate and atorvastatin calcium) tablets, in the US market on March 26, 2014, following the approval by the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA).

The CADUET tablets brand and generic had U.S. sales of approximately $163 Million MAT for the most recent twelve months ending in January 2014 according to IMS Health*.

Dr. Reddy’s Amlodipine Besylate and Atorvastatin Calcium Tablets are available in bottle counts of 30 and 90**.

Disclaimer

This press release includes forward-looking statements, as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. We have based these forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future events. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such factors include, but are not limited to, changes in local and global economic conditions, our ability to successfully implement our strategy, the market acceptance of and demand for our products, our growth and expansion, technological change and our exposure to market risks. By their nature, these expectations and projections are only estimates and could be materially different from actual results in the future.

GE to be part of cancer care venture in India

GE Healthcare and Cancer Treatment Services International (CTSI) will invest $120 million (Rs 720 crore) over a period of five years to set up 25 cancer care centres in India for early diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

These centres will have state-of-the-art technology for diagnosing and treating cancer. The companies said the treatment would be delivered at prices that are more affordable than currently.

The GE-CTSI partnership will configure the centres in a hub-and-spoke model. The hub will be a centre of excellence offering full diagnostic imaging and treatment capabilities, while the spoke will have the ability to deliver a range of screening and treatment options.

"In the US, early diagnosis of cancer is an outpatient service. But in India, cancer is detected at an advanced stage and requires in-patient care. The partnership attempts to leverage a pool of talented Indian doctors and medical infrastructure to make cancer treatment an out-patient service in the long-run," said Joe Nicholas, president and CEO of CTSI. Today, for a patient from rural India, 50% of the cost is on account of travel and logistics.

Pittsburgh-based CTSI provides comprehensive clinical and administrative solutions for the treatment of cancer. Founded in 2006 by a group of physicians and businessmen, CTSI began operations as a US-based oncology provider with a focus on out-patient radiation therapy and medical oncology. CTSI's flagship international centre, American Oncology Institute, has a unit in Hyderabad that commenced operations in 2012.

American Oncology Institute is a 250-bed cancer hospital featuring radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology, diagnostic and other support care services. CTSI plans to launch 3-5 hubs in Andhra Pradesh and the rest will be spread across the country, each entailing an investment of $10 million.

India currently has over 400 cancer care centres with 40% of private cancer care hospitals concentrated in the top six metros. But the incidence of cancer has risen sharply in India. The country has 3 million patients and 1.23 million new cases are registered every year. The mortality rates are very high due to late detection, poor access to care and high costs. "We want to leverage on our technology platforms with CTSI's proven expertise in operating cancer centres to tackle cancer early on in India," said John Dineen, CEO of GE Healthcare, which has a major research centre in Bangalore.

Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/GE-to-be-part-of-cancer-care-venture-in-India/articleshow/32678859.cms

GE Healthcare introduces molecular imaging system for cancer detection

GE Healthcare has launched an advanced Positron Emission Tomography- Computed Tomography (PET- CT) molecular imaging system named Discovery IQ, developed with an investment of Rs.90 crore. Discovery IQ is the outcome of 3 years of close collaborative development between Indian nuclear medicine physicians and oncologists.

The equipment comes with advanced early disease detection capabilities and measurements to understand patient’s response to cancer treatment.

 “Three years back, we promised to develop an advanced yet affordable PET-CT to improve access to early cancer detection. We have realized the commitment to provide an advanced PET- CT that is 40 per cent more affordable and can usher in personalized treatment for the patient. We are extremely thankful to the Indian healthcare providers for their close collaboration and insights into their needs that has helped develop this important weapon against cancer,” said Terri Bresenham, president and CEO, GE Healthcare South Asia.

 “Molecular imaging is the epitome of healthcare imaging technologies. GE is very pleased to demonstrate to the world India’s capabilities in developing the most sophisticated medical technologies,” she added.

An advanced imaging centre requires a PET-CT to scan the human body and a cyclotron to produce bio-markers that can light up cancer cells. However, setting up of a molecular imaging centre is expensive and calls for Rs.30 crore investment which has prevented setting up of such early detection technology in India. With the support of several Indian entrepreneurs, GE has built a robust network of cyclotrons to minimise the investment required to set up a molecular imaging centre.

Approximately 70 per cent of cancer patients do not respond to their initial chemotherapy treatment. Now a PET-CT can help physicians determine if the treatment is beneficial with one or two chemotherapy cycles and reduces overall cost to the patient.

R Sureshkumar, general manager, PET-CT Product Development, GE Healthcare, says: "If clinicians are given accurate and reliable solutions to determine whether the treatment is working or not, they will be able to tailor a regimen of therapies according to individual patient response and needs.”

 “With affordable Discovery IQ PET-CT from GE Healthcare, PET-CT can become an integral part of cancer care management for cancer centres in India,” said N R Balamurugan, director, oncology, GE Healthcare South Asia.

Source: http://www.pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=81049&sid=2

Bariatic surgery could prevent uterine cancer

A new research has found that dramatic weight loss in formerly obese women resulting from bariatric surgery decreases the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer by 71 percent. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center, also found that the risk of cancer reduces by as much as 81 percent if normal weight is maintained after surgery.

The findings indicate obesity may be a modifiable risk factor for endometrial cancer, and bariatric surgery a viable option for eligible patients. First author Kristy Ward, senior gynecologic oncology fellow at UC San Diego, said that estimating from various studies that looked at increasing BMI and endometrial cancer risk, a woman with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 would have approximately eight times greater risk of endometrial cancer than someone with a BMI of 25. (Read: Pollution increasing lung cancer in Indian women)

Bariatric surgery is often the last resort for obese patients after all other non-surgical weight loss efforts have failed. A number of biological mechanisms link obesity to endometrial cancer. Excessive adipose or fat tissue, for example, raises circulating levels of estrogen, which is associated with tumor creation and metastasis. Obesity also causes chronic inflammation, boosting insulin resistance and increased estrogen levels. Ward said that the majority of endometrial cancers are estrogen-driven and in a normal menstruating woman, two hormones control the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus). (Read: Cancer in women – awareness and recognising the symptoms early is the key)

Ward explained that estrogen builds up the endometrium and progesterone stabilizes it and a woman with excess adipose tissue has an increased level of estrogen because the fat tissue converts steroid hormones into a form of estrogen “So there is too much estrogen, causing the endometrium to build up, but not enough progesterone to stabilize it. The endometrium continues to grow and can undergo changes into abnormal tissue, leading to cancer,” she said. Bariatric surgery has been shown to reduce the impact of these factors: hormone levels become normal; inflammation decreases; insulin resistance drops; weight loss allows for increased physical activity and improved overall health. The study is published in the April issue of Gynecologic Oncology.

Source: http://health.india.com/news/bariatic-surgery-could-prevent-uterine-cancer/