Year: 2020

US President Donald Trump warned India may have to bear the brunt of America’s “retaliation” if it does not lift hold on the export of Hydroxychloroquine, the anti-malarial drug used to treat coronavirus patients.   “I spoke to PM Modi on Sunday morning and I said we appreciate it that you are allowing our supply of Hydroxychloroquine to come out, if he doesn’t allow it to come out, that would be okay, but of course, there may be retaliation, why wouldn’t there be?” Trump said while speaking from the White House…

Amid Coronavirus crises, it is reported that about 40 crore workers in India working in the informal economy are at risk of falling deeper into poverty.   According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) a report stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting 2.7 billion workers globally due to lockdowns.   The report said that particularly in low- and middle-income countries, hard-hit sectors have a high proportion of workers in informal employment and workers with limited access to health services and social protection. Without appropriate policy measures, workers face a…

Alexion Pharmaceuticals is revving up to enter the COVID-19 drug development race with Soliris (eculizumab), a drug that is already approved for other indications, a source familiar with the trial told Reynald Castañeda, Pharma Writer for the Investigative News team at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.   Castañeda comments: “The source explained that the idea behind Soliris is that the drug impacts the complement system, which could help reduce organ damage in severe COVID-19 patients.”   When asked to comment, an Alexion spokesperson pointed Castañeda to a media release stating how the company is…

The historic Bitcoin halving event next month will boost its price – but other key drivers will have a more significant, longer-term impact.   This is the prediction from Nigel Green, the CEO and founder of deVere Group, one of the world’s largest independent financial advisory and services organisations.   It comes as the Bitcoin price has surged around 12 per cent over the last week and 6 per cent on Monday – outperforming almost all the major indices.   It also comes ahead of only the third-ever Bitcoin halving…

The Amma Canteen, a delivery system to provide urban food security in Tamil Nadu, has become an effective mechanism in reaching the needy during lockdown. This can be seen through the functioning of the twelve amma canteens in Madurai.   Food is served at specific time slots, except dinner. Migrants from North India usually benefit from this canteen scheme. A number of people from nearby villages who come to Madurai on foot to purchase vegetables in the morning also have their breakfast there. A register to record the names of…

Questioning about the Tablighi Nizamuddin event that turned out to be a hotspot for the country, NCP Chief Sharad Pawar asked for the one who gave permission for the religious congregation. The Maharashtra govt earlier denied permission for a similar gathering here, Pawar pointed out in a live interaction with people on Facebook. He said two large gatherings were earlier proposed in Maharashtra one near Mumbai and another in Solapur district.   Permission for the gathering near Mumbai was denied in advance, while police took stern action against the Solapur…

Senior diplomat Anurag Shrivastava is chaired as the spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), replacing Raveesh Kumar. Srivastava, a 1999 batch Indian Foreign Service officer.   Anurag in his tweet wrote, “Feeling honoured and proud to be the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs of India. I look forward to working with everyone to fulfil my responsibilities in this new role.”   In the Ministry of External Affairs, he will be commanded by the Publicity Department of the Ministry.   Before his appointment as India’s ambassador…

An estimated 1.5 billion people around the world have been asked to practice social distancing amid the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) that has caused the deaths of more than 69,000 people. The rapid spread of the disease, escalation of pulmonary symptoms, financial disruption, travel restrictions and social isolation have been cited as a catalyst for increased prevalence of mental disorders such as depression across a variety of age groups, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.   Magdalene Crabbe, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Sales of drugs for psychiatric…