Analysis of package inserts of orally administered drugs available in the Indian market

Background: The package insert of a medication forms an important source of information to the patient while taking a drug. The package insert is expected to contain complete information regarding the drug aiding the patient to obtain additional knowledge regarding the drug.Methods: 100 package inserts of orally administered drugs were obtained from local chemists and were analysed according to the Sections 6.2 and 6.3 of Schedule D (II), Drugs and Cosmetics Act (1940) and Rules (1945).Results: The posology and contraindications were mentioned in 98% and 96% of the inserts, respectively, whereas the list of excipients, incompatibilities and shelf life was mentioned in 12%, 19%, 16% of the inserts, respectively.Conclusions: There is a wide variation in the information available on the package inserts of drugs available in the Indian market. The package inserts should be carefully scrutinized for completeness before the respective drug is marketed

Price analysis of antianginal drugs available in Indian market

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common causes of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in developing countries like India. Initial management includes use of many antianginal drugs. There is wide variation in market prices of these drugs. This study was planned to analyse the percentage variation in prices amongst monotherapy and combination therapy of antianginal drugs manufactured and sold under different brand names in Indian market.Methods: Price of antianginal drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies, in the same strength and dosage forms was obtained from “Current Index of Medical Specialties (CIMS)” January-April 2016 and “Indian Drug Review (IDR)” Vol. XXII, Issue No.1, 2016. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in price per 10 tablets was calculated.Results: Percentage variation in price for antianginal drugs marketed in India was found to be amlodipine (5 mg) 1128.57% followed by amlodipine (10 mg) 1040% and amlodipine (2.5 mg) 780% as a monotherapy. Whereas atenolol (25 mg), atenolol (50 mg) and nicorandil (10 mg) also showed significant percentage variation in prices 525%, 426.66% and 350.84% respectively. For combination therapy, percentage variation in prices were seen with amlodipine + atenolol (5 + 50 mg) 700%, followed by atenolol + hydrochlorothiazide (50 + 12.5 mg) 362.5% and Isosorbide dinitrate + aspirin (5 + 75 mg) 300%.Conclusions: There is a wide variation in the price of different brands of antianginal drugs available in India. The clinicians prescribing these drugs should be aware of these variations to reduce the financial burden of drug therapy

Analysis of price variation amongst different formulations of anxiolytic drugs available in Indian market

Background: Cost of drug therapy is a very serious issue for people belonging to lower economic status in India. A single drug is manufactured by various pharmaceutical companies and sold under different brand names. The prices of these drugs vary in the Indian market. Anxiety is a symptom of many psychiatric disorders and surgical conditions for which anxiolytic drugs are commonly prescribed. This study was planned to study the price variation amongst the different brands of anxiolytic drugs available in India.Methods: Price of anxiolytic drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies, in the same strength and dosage forms were obtained from “current index of medical specialties” Jan-April 2016 and “Indian drug review” Vol. XXII, Issue No.1, 2016. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in price per 10 tablets was calculated.Results: Out of 26 single drug formulations analyzed, maximum percentage variation in prices were seen with diazepam (5 mg) 371.42% followed by clonazepam (0.5 mg) 350%, lorazepam (1 mg) 328.57%, alprazolam (0.25 mg) 320% and clobazam (20 mg) 318.18% and out of 7 combination drug formulations analyzed, maximum percentage variation in prices were seen with the combination of chlordiazepoxide + amitriptyline (10 + 25 mg) 230.07% followed by combination of trifluperazine + trihexiphenidyl (5 + 2 mg) 150%.Conclusions: There is a wide variation in the price of different brands of anxiolytic drugs available in Indian market. Government of India should reduce the pricing of drugs by bringing them under drug pricing control order (DPCO).

Co-evolution, opportunity seeking and institutional change: Entrepreneurship and the Indian telecommunications industry 1923-2009

"This is an Author's Original Manuscript of an article submitted for consideration in Business History [copyright Taylor & Francis]; Business History is available online at http://www.tandfonline.com/." 10.1080/00076791.2012.687538In this paper, we demonstrate the importance for entrepreneurship of historical contexts and processes, and the co-evolution of institutions, practices, discourses and cultural norms. Drawing on discourse and institutional theories, we develop a model of the entrepreneurial field, and apply this in analysing the rise to global prominence of the Indian telecommunications industry. We draw on entrepreneurial life histories to show how various discourses and discursive processes ultimately worked to generate change and the creation of new business opportunities. We propose that entrepreneurship involves more than individual acts of business creation, but also implies collective endeavours to shape the future direction of the entrepreneurial field

Case Report - HLA Chimerism in allogenic haplo-identical peripheral blood stem cell transplant

HLA antigens were used as markers to establish the presence of chimerism (i.e. simultaneous presence of two lymphocyte populations from recipient as well as donor) in a patient with chronic granulomatous disease treated with one haplotype matched stem cell transplant. Neutrophil engraftment occurred on Day 6 post peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT). Platelet counts were maintained above 20x10[9]/L. Six months after the allogenic PBSCT, lymphocyte population was chimeric and cells of both donor (father) and host HLA type were present. The patient revealed a shift in his HLA antigen profile and there was evidence of donor cell engraftment. The HLA phenotype A26,CwXX,B8,DRB1*03//A32,Cw4,B35,DRB1*16// represented his true phenotype whereas A11,Cw7,B62,DRB1*14 represented donor (father) origin.. HLA system as a genetic marker is a useful additional approach to determine engraftment following an allogenic haplo-identical stem cell transplantation

Structural parameters and resistive switching phenomenon study on Cd_0.25Co_0.75Fe₂O₄ ferrite thin film

833-840Cadmium substituted cobalt ferrite thin film with nominal composition Cd0.25Co0.75Fe2O4, has been grown on quartz substrate by chemical solution deposition and their structural and electrical properties have been investigated. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed single phase spinel structure with nanometer grain size. Atomic force microscopic analysis revealed uniform nano structured growth of about 70 nm average crystallite size. The XRD data have been used to determine the distribution of cations among the tetrahedral and octahedral sites of the spinel lattice and various structural parameters. The cation distribution determined from X-ray diffraction line intensity calculations revealed, 60% octahedral sites occupancy of Cd2+-ions in the composition. Four terminal I-V measurements show hysteretic curves, suggesting high resistance state (HRS) and low resistance state (LRS) in the film with polarity dependence. Maximum resistance ratio, Rhigh/Rlow of 57% was observed at room temperature in the Ag/Cd0.25Co0.75Fe2O4/Ag planar structure. Observed resistance switching is attributed to combined effects, viz., in the LRS, the major fraction of cadmium occupation and electron exchange between Fe3+ and Fe2+ at the B-sites, whereas the HRS shows Schottky-like conduction mechanism at the Ag/Cd0.25Co0.75Fe2O4 interface

Mass culture of centric diatom Chaetoceros affinis (lauder) - A promising live feed for prawn larvae

55Unialgal mass culture of C. affinis has been made with seawater enriched with synthetic culture medium (f). Dark greenish brown peak blooms are obtained with cell counts (no. ml -1) ranging from 3.5 x 105 to 5.5 x 105. It is observed that lower the temperature, longer the time taken to reach peak bloom stage and vice versa