77 KGMU docs felicitated for research in medical science

 
77 KGMU docs felicitated for research in medical science 

TIMES NEWS NETWORK 24.12.2024

 Lucknow : The King George's Medical University (KGMU) hosted its annual research showcase on Monday, celebrating achievements in research and innovation. At least 77 faculty members, including two ranked among the world's top weather scientists by Stanford University, were felicitated in the program. Prof Shalini Tripathi, lecturer in the department of pediatrics, was awarded the prestigious Young Explorer Gold Medal. Director of the Tata Memorial Center and Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai Prof SK Sudeep Gupta was the chief guest on the occasion. 

KGMU vice-chancellor Prof Soniya Nityanand welcomed the guests, emphasizing the societal benefits of medical research. “One discovery can benefit millions. Research and studies are at the core of medical field. One should always try new research and innovation because its success benefits millions.” Prof Sudeep Gupta inspired the audience with his address, underscoring the importance of awareness and early detection in treating breast cancer. "Timely intervention can lead to better outcomes and save the lives of many patients," he said. Dean of research, Prof Hardeep Singh Malhotra, presented the university's annual research report and outlined plans. Certificates of recognition were distributed, and books written by KGMU faculty and students over the past year were unveiled.

Rain may be back for Christmas Expect Light To Moderate Rain Today, Says IMD

Rain may be back for Christmas Expect Light To Moderate Rain Today, Says IMD

TIMES NEWS NETWORK  24.12.2024

 Chennai : The weather system over the Bay of Bengal, which skipped the city last week and went to Andhra Pradesh, is making its journey southwards to hover off north Tamil Nadu. The system, which will be a well-marked low-pressure area, may bring monsoon rains back to the city and many parts of the state. The IMD has forecast light to moderate rainfall in the city and at a few places over north Tamil Nadu on Tuesday.

Bloggers said rain activity may begin around Wednesday. “On Tuesday, the city and the suburbs may receive light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning in some areas. The sky may be partly cloudy. Temperature may be at a maximum of around 30°C-31°C and at a minimum of around 23°C-24°C,” an IMD bulletin said. A few places over north coastal Tamil Nadu, and one or two places over the rest of Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Karaikal are also likely to receive light to moderate intensity rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning on Tuesday. Some pockets in interior Tamil Nadu may experience mist or haze during early morning hours. On Dec 25, many places over north Tamil Nadu, and one or two places over south Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and the Karaikal area are likely to receive light to moderate rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning. 

The rain activity is likely to push rain records in Nungambakkam and Meenambak-kam weather stations, which have recorded 103cm and 99cm of rainfall since Oct 1, 21cm and 18cm excess for the season. The two stations recorded 182cm each so far this year against the annual average of 140cm and 138cm. Since Oct 1, Chennai city recorded 103cm, around 32% excess and Tamil Nadu recorded 57cm rain, around 33% excess. "Rainfall will commence from the night of Dec 25 to the morning of Dec 26 and will be there for two days in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Chengalpet, and Tamil Nadu coastal districts," said blogger Pradeep John in one of his online posts.

Driverless metro to begin trials at Madhavaram by '28

Driverless metro to begin trials at Madhavaram by '28 

24.12.2024

Chennai : Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) will begin testing its first batch of three-car driverless trains at Madhavaram depot by early 2028, following the delivery of the initial train by the end of 2026. The ₹3,657.53-crore contract with BEML Limited includes 70 unattended train operations (UTO) trains, comprising 210 cars, personnel training, and depot machinery. The 14-month testing phase ensures operational readiness before service on corridors 3 (Madhavaram-Sipcot) and 5 (Madhavaram-Sholinganallur) of phase 2. Subsequent trains will be delivered from March 2027 to April 2029. This is the second of three contracts for phase 2. A prototype train under the first contract is already at Poonamallee depot, while the third tender is under process. TNN

Doctors went to Paris and Monaco to 'gain knowledge'

Doctors went to Paris and Monaco to 'gain knowledge' 

24.12.2024 TIMES OF INDIA 

Twenty four doctors went to Paris and six went to Monaco earlier this year to “gain knowledge” on the antiaging products, which have been marketed aggressively and have become synonymous with the aspiration of continuing youthfulness. . . . UCPMP guidelines prohibit pharmaceutical companies from offering “travel and hospitality” to any healthcare professional. AbbVie Healthcare India Pvt Ltd, a subsidiary of American pharmaceutical company AbbVie Inc, spent close to ₹1.91 crore on travel tickets and hotel accommodations for the doctors, according to an audit carried out by the pharma department. AbbVie did not respond to an email sent for clarification on the matter by TOI. However, according to an order issued by the pharma department, a copy of which is with TOI, the company justified its breach as "acceptable industry practice". Later, AbbVie claimed that the company had entered into a professional service agreement with the doctors to compensate them for their services, which again did not cut the ice with investigators from the apex committee for pharma marketing practices that comes under the pharmaceutical department. “The agreements entered by M/s AbbVie do not clarify why such highly trained healthcare professionals (HCPs) need to be provided with foreign travel opportunities to gain knowledge about simple procedures in medical aesthetics, such as administration of 'Botox and Juvéderm'. Such medical interventions are widely recognized as a lucrative commercial service and evidence attached to complaint links HCPs (the doctors) directly to sale, purchase or administration of such aesthetic products of M/s AbbVie,” the investigators pointed out, and suggested remedial action.

Foreign trips of docs: Pharma co's tax liability under scanner 

New Delhi : The Union govt's department of pharmaceuticals has pulled up multinational AbbVie Healthcare for violating the Uniform Code for Pharmaceutical Marketing Practices (UCPMP) by taking 30 doctors to Paris and Monaco to improve their “ knowledge” on popular anti-aging products Botox and Juvederm, and asked tax authorities to assess the tax liability of the company and the physicians. The department has also asked the National Medical Commission (NMC) to undertake action for professional misconduct by the doctors.

NEWS TODAY 21.12.2024

 

NEWS TODAY 20.12.2024

 

Devotee's iPhone slips into hundi, temple staff say it's deity's

Devotee's iPhone slips into hundi, temple staff say it's deity's 

Sindhu Kannan TNN 21.12.2024 

Chennai : In Tamil movie Palayathamman, a woman accidentally drops her baby into a shrine's hundi (donation box) and the child becomes “temple property”. At Arulmigu Kandaswamy Temple near Chennai's Thiruporur, a devotee accidentally dropped an iPhone into the hundi. The result is the same: this temple, too, has claimed the phone as its property. Dinesh, a devotee from Vinayagapuram, had to return home empty-handed on Friday as the temple authorities said anything dropped into the hundi belongs to the deity. They, however, offered to give him the SIM card and to let him download data from the phone. 

Dinesh had visited the temple with his family a month ago when he went to drop some money in the hundi. Dinesh says that while he was pulling out currency notes from his shirt pocket, his iPhone accidentally fell into the bag. Since the hundi was placed at a height, he could not retrieve the phone. Panic-stricken, Dinesh approached the temple authorities. They reiterated their stance and cited tradition that the hundi is opened only once in two months. Dinesh filed a complaint with the HR and CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) officials, requesting to be informed when the hundi would be opened. When the temple authorities eventually opened the hundi on Friday, Dinesh rushed to retrieve his phone, only to be told the device would remain in the temple's custody and the return of the SIM card. Dinesh, though, had already obtained a new SIM and left it to the authorities to decide on his plea to return the phone. Temple executive officer Kumaravel said the tradition of treating anything dropped in the hundi as belonging to the deity would be followed and that the phone would be retained