Revisiting the Justification of Trademark Protection for Single Drug Compositions: A Critical Analysis from a Regulatory Perspective

Trademarks, which are premised on product differentiation, are alleged to play a divergent role when used on pharmaceutical products: they tend to create an artificial product differentiation for the bioequivalent pharmaceutical products that are marketed as branded, generics, and branded-generic products. It is implied that the companies incorporate trademarks to market their products to different consumers at different prices. However, concerns arise when a company uses multiple trademarks for a single active pharmaceutical ingredient (API); sometimes, the company labels each trademark as treating a different medical condition. This practice of brand proliferation may pose risks to patient safety by confusing patients and health care providers, which can lead to double dosing the drug. Simultaneously, it may also promote artificial product differentiation, allowing few companies to regulate the market for certain treatments without offering any therapeutic difference. Such differentiation is not restricted merely to the branded products, but it is also present in branded-generics, brands of the same formulation marketed by a single company. The magnitude of such differentiation has been observed by the legal scholars and regulatory authorities in different jurisdictions from consumers’ safety and the competition perspective. These pharma company practices raise questions on trademark use and regulation for medicinal products and the trademark’s consequences on consumer safety and market competition. In this context, this paper aims to analyze legal scholars’ views on the use of pharmaceutical product trademarks and the policy interventions toward regulating the use of multiple trademarks by one company for the bioequivalent medicinal products

Judicial Navigation of Drug Name Regulation in India

269-276Almost two decades back the Supreme Court of India while deciding the trademark disputes related to pharmaceutical products raised serious concerns towards the medicines sold under unregulated similar proprietary names. Thereby the judiciary issued directions to the drug regulatory authority for drug name regulation. However, since then in the absence of a definite regulatory structure, the judiciary has continued navigating the scope of India’s drug name regulation. In this context, the article reflects upon the judicial attempts for integrating drug-name regulations in the current regulatory structure, while critically analyzing the judiciary-backed recent amendments in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rule, 1945

Judicial Navigation of Drug Name Regulation in India

Almost two decades back the Supreme Court of India while deciding the trademark disputes related to pharmaceutical products raised serious concerns towards the medicines sold under unregulated similar proprietary names. Thereby the judiciary issued directions to the drug regulatory authority for drug name regulation. However, since then in the absence of a definite regulatory structure, the judiciary has continued navigating the scope of India’s drug name regulation. In this context, the article reflects upon the judicial attempts for integrating drug-name regulations in the current regulatory structure, while critically analyzing the judiciary-backed recent amendments in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rule, 1945

Alcohol use among adolescents in India: a systematic review

Abstract Background Alcohol use is typically established during adolescence and initiation of use at a young age poses risks for short- and long-term health and social outcomes. However, there is limited understanding of the onset, progression and impact of alcohol use among adolescents in India. The aim of this review is to synthesise the evidence about prevalence, patterns and correlates of alcohol use and alcohol use disorders in adolescents from India. Methods Systematic review was conducted using relevant online databases, grey literature and unpublished data/outcomes from subject experts. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed and applied to screening rounds. Titles and abstracts were screened by two independent reviewers for eligibility, and then full texts were assessed for inclusion. Narrative synthesis of the eligible studies was conducted. Results Fifty-five peer-reviewed papers and one report were eligible for inclusion in this review. Prevalence of ever or lifetime alcohol consumption ranged from 3.9% to 69.8%; and prevalence of alcohol consumption at least once in the past year ranged from 10.6% to 32.9%. The mean age for initiation of drinking ranged from 14.4 to 18.3 years. Some correlates associated with alcohol consumption included being male, older age, academic difficulties, parental use of alcohol or tobacco, non-contact sexual abuse and perpetuation of violence. Conclusion The evidence base for alcohol use among adolescents in India needs a deeper exploration. Despite gaps in the evidence base, this synthesis provides a reasonable understanding of alcohol use among adolescents in India and can provide direction to policymakers. </jats:sec

Pharmacognostical, Phytochemical and In-Vitro Anthelmintic Activity of Cassia roxburghii Seed and Boerhaavia diffusa Root against Pheritima posthuma Model

Plants have served human beings as a natural source for treatments and therapies from ancient times, amongst them medicinal herbs have gain attention because of its wide use and less side effects. In the recent years plant research has increased throughout the world and a huge amount of evidences have been collected to show immense potential of medicinal plants used in various traditional systems. The objective of this study was to investigate pharmacognostical, phytochemical features and anthelmintic action of Cassia roxburghii (seeds) and Boerhaavia diffusa (roots). The different pharmacognostical parameters were evaluated as per standard protocols with some modifications. Qualitative analysis of various phytochemical constituents was determined by the well-known test protocol available in the literature. &nbsp;Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, glycosides, flavonoids, steroids, saponins, triterpenoits and carbohydrate. Three different doses (10, 25, &amp; 50 mg/ml) of each extracts were studied, which involves the determination of time of paralysis and time of death of worm. All the extracts showed a dose dependent increase in the anthelmintic action. Out of all the extracts, the methanol extracts showed highest activity in both plants followed by ethyl and aqueous extracts. At the concentration of 50 mg/ml the methanol showed a remarkable anthelmintic activity which was even greater than the standard drug (Albendazole) at the same concentration. Keywords: Cassia roxburghii, Boerhaavia diffusa, Pheretima posthuma, Anthelmintic action, Paralysis, Albendazole

Health problems in children: A review article

Children in India face health issues and are afflicted by illnesses and disorders. There are a variety of factors that contribute to these issues. It is the parents' primary obligation to ensure that their children receive good nourishment and education and that the home environment is created in such a way that it promotes the health and well-being of the children in an acceptable manner. The causes of health problems, the prevalence of childhood health problems, child health interventions, and strategies to avoid health problems among children are the key topics covered in this study paper. It is critical that individuals from deprived, marginalized, and socioeconomically backward areas of society raise awareness about these initiatives. Individuals of all classifications, backgrounds, and occupations must be aware of health issues affecting children and how to address them