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Global Update Indian Pediatrics 2001; 38: 1072 |
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News in Brief |
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Dolly’s legacy: In the National Academy of Sciences meeting in Washington this year, 3 researchers announced their intent to go ahead with human cloning. Immediately the anti-cloning lobby was up in arms about ethical, medical and sociological conse-quences, which may ensue. There is a high incidence of genetic defects in cloned animals. Dr. Ian Wilmut, the director of the Roslin Institute in Scotland, which had cloned the first animal Dolly warned that 18% of cloned mice and 38% of cloned goats died. But the pro-cloning researchers are adamant and may proceed with experiments aboard a ship in international waters since cloning is banned in the US and many other countries (The Times of India 10 August, 2001). AIDS Watch Cheaper ART: Anti-retroviral therapy in India will soon be cheaper by 30% as decided in a meeting of representatives from ministries of finance, commerce, industrial policy and promotion and health and family welfare. This will be achieved by removing excise and customs duty. A three-drug regi-men from Cipla now costs around Rs. 2000/- per month, while imported 3-drug regimen comes to Rs. 8000/- per month. They also plan to ask the States to remove sales tax, which will facilitate a further 8-10% reduc-tion (The Times of India 10 August 2001). Policies: The national AIDS control policy document has recently been forwarded to the Union Cabinet for approval. It gives detailed guidelines on testing, counseling, protection of privacy and human rights for patients with AIDS. The HIV status should not affect an individual’s right to employment or position in the work force or any other fundamental right. Women should have complete choice about pregnancy and childbirth after proper counseling. There shall be no compulsory screening for HIV (The Times of India 25 July 2001). Law Doctor in trouble: The police have arrested Dr. Chandra Prakash, Medical Superinten-dent of Sunderlal Jain Charitable Hospital in Delhi on charges of homicide not amounting to murder for failing to admit a patient who subsequently died. Relatives filed the petition that the patient was refused treatment because he failed to deposit Rs. 25,000/- and the delay in treatment resulted in the death of the patient. Delhi Medical Association and it’s parent body Indian Medical Association is protesting strongly with relay hunger strikes and one day bandh of all private hospitals and laboratories. The DMC has begun it’s own investigations and some of the suggestions coming forwards are that a panel of IMA members be consulted before arresting doctors (The Lancet Interactive 28 August 2001).
Gouri Rao Passi, |
