-Economic and Political Weekly The draft National Health Policy 2015 is an improvement over its predecessors--the policies of 1984 and 2002. However, it also reveals several gaps, inconsistencies and blind spots which tend to dilute otherwise constructive proposals. The purpose of this article is to open up the draft to further public debate and comment. Forum for Medical Ethics Society (fmesmumbai@gmail.com) is a voluntary, non-profit organisation registered in Mumbai. The society was...

-The Hindu Business Line Transparency required on data concerning clinical trials and procurement of drugs Earlier this year, rotavirus vaccine 116E was launched with much fanfare. The celebration of this vaccine that would protect infants against rotavirus gastroenteritis was on two counts. It was developed locally and its price was pegged at $1, less than competing rotavirus vaccines that sell in the country. But the rollout of this indigenous vaccine as part of...

-The Indian Express The BJP argued that the “competitive federalism” created by the move would put the onus of development on Congress-ruled states Even as the Congress claimed credit for the NDA government’s retreat on the land acquisition Bill, the BJP argued that the “competitive federalism” created by the move would put the onus of development on Congress-ruled states and would give BJP the political mileage in the states where it...

Two recent reports show that this social sector scheme has had a causal impact in improving lives, especially for women and children Fourteen million people escaped falling into poverty under the world’s largest anti-poverty programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). In 10 years of its existence, the scheme reduced poverty by 32 per cent. Recent data also shows that more women are drawing cash incomes, more children...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that the government will not renew the controversial land acquisition ordinance that lapses on Monday and declared its readiness to incorporate any suggestions in the bill pending before Parliament. "We had issued an ordinance which lapses tomorrow (August 31). I have decided, let it lapse. We will not renew it," Modi said in his 'Mann ki Baat' radio broadcast. "It...