-The Hindu Bench attributes low female child ratio to lack of implementation of Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act Eliminating female foetus after pre-natal diagnostic tests has pushed the female child ratio down nationwide, the Supreme Court has observed. A Bench of Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and Dipak MISra blamed the practice on lack of implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (Prohibition on Sex-Selection) Act. Both judges gave different, but concurring, judgments. Justice Radhakrishnan said:...

-The Hindu Bayer's plea disMISsed by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) on Monday upheld the grant of compulsory licence (CL) to the Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Limited, a generic drug maker, to produce and market Nexavar, a patented cancer drug of multinational pharma major Bayer Corporation. The order will pave the way for reduction in the prices of costly life saving drugs. Disposing an appeal filed by Bayer...

-Live Mint An investigation found DCGI cleared drugs without conducting mandatory clinical trials After five rounds of consultations in six months, a committee tasked with making recommendations on cleaning up India’s drugs-approval process and ending the cosy relationship between doctors, pharmaceutical companies and government officials had no suggestions to offer by way of a crackdown. It has, instead, suggested setting up 20 sub-committees. The report submitted to the health ministry in November is...

-Outlook Expressing serious concern over the implementation of Rs 52,000-crore farm debt waiver scheme, government auditor CAG today said in several cases ineligible farmers were given benefit while deserving ones were left out. Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has also found instances of tampering of records and pulled up the Department of Financial Services (DFS) in the Finance Ministry for deficient monitoring of the multi-crore scheme. "Overall, the Performance Audit revealed that in...

-IANS On the defensive after its personnel were caught on camera thrashing a young woman in public in Tarn Taran district, Punjab Police Tuesday said that it was "examining all evidence" of the incident. Punjab Police Director General of Police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini told media here: "Whatever the facts may be, whatever the provocation, it was wrong to raise a hand or lathi (cane baton) on a lady." Saini said two police...