-The Hindu In a typical case of putting the cart before the horse, the Health Ministry is now in the process of amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 to regulate human clinical trials taking place in the country. More than the death of over 2,000 people during 2008-2011 in clinical trials, it was the recent rap by the Supreme Court that has shaken the government from its “deep slumber” and...

-Deccan Herald The Supreme Court said Thursday that unregulated clinical trials of new drugs were causing "havoc" in the country as it ordered the health ministry to monitor any new applications for tests. The comments were made during a hearing on a petition detailing deaths and health problems caused by clinical trials carried out on Indians, often without their knowledge or consent. "Uncontrolled clinical trials are causing havoc to human life," Justice RM...

-The Hindu In a major boost to the country’s private vaccine manufacturing pharmaceutical companies, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that India’s national regulatory authority — Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) — and its affiliated institutions meet the prescribed international standards. India is a major vaccine producer with 12 major vaccine manufacturing facilities. These vaccines are used for the national and international market, reaching nearly 150 countries. Every second child...

-The Telegraph A children’s vaccine against a stomach infection has triggered controversy with some doctors claiming there is not enough data to show it is effective in India and accusing a leading drug company of using a misleading advertisement to promote the vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK) has stopped the advertisement for the vaccine intended to protect children from potentially life-threatening rotavirus infections after the advertising industry’s self-regulating body upheld a doctor’s complaint...

-The Hindustan Times The Aadhaar-linked direct cash transfer scheme, which will be launched on January 1, runs the risk of tripping in more than one-third of the 43 districts where less than 50% of the population has an Aadhaar number. This includes Maharashtra's Nandurbar district, where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh handed over the first unique identity number to Ranjana Sonawne of Tembli village in September 2010. Overall, about 55 million of 84 million...