-IANS The United States has asked the World Trade Organization (WTO) to rule on its assertion that India's restrictions on imports of US poultry meat and chicken eggs violates its WTO obligations. The US request to WTO to set up a dispute settlement panel was filed Monday after consultations with India on April 16-17, the first necessary step in pursuing a case, failed to resolve the US concerns, US Trade Representative (USTR)...

-The Hindu Business Line The onus of granting approvals to medicines marketed in the country is on the regulator Drug Controller General of India (DCGI), say drug companies, adding that they have adhered to the law of the land. The drug-makers were responding to a Parliamentary panel report on health that severely indicted the drug regulatory authority, besides alleging that “invisible hands” of drug-makers were involved in getting favourable reports on medicines...

A key finding in the report was that several multinational firms had launched drugs without conducting mandatory clinical trials or seeking expert medical opinion The health ministry has denied the presence of any systemic rot in the drug approval process and pharmaceutical firms have refuted charges of collusion after a report by a parliamentary panel pointed to regulatory lapses in clinical trials. The panel, which looked into the functioning of Central Drugs...

Petition  seeks comprehensive policy on production, supply and sale of healthy, hygienic and natural milk The Supreme Court on May 9 sought a response from the apex food body, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and the states regarding milk adulteration and production of synthetic milk. The three-judge bench sought their response on the public interest petition filed by Swami Achyutanand Tirth on behalf of the Swami Bhumanand...

The debate about essential-medicine pricing and access in India illustrates the difficulties inherent in establishing policies that serve conflicting public interests in achieving goals such as caring well and ensuring Safety for all, while also pursuing financially-sustainable success in scientific innovation and trade. It highlights problems facing those interested in continuing drug and vaccines development and ensuring that, once marketed, such products contribute effectively to improving public health. Modern pharmaceuticals...