Ashok S's blog

This could be an addendum to the blog posted by Swaminathan earlier.

A group of 118 leading cancer experts have developed a list of proposals designed to reduce the cost of cancer drugs, and support a grassroots patient protest movement to pressure drug companies to charge what they deem a fair value for treatments.

The experts include former presidents of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the American Society of Hematology.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines recommending simplified indicators to measure the reach of HIV services, and the impact achieved at both the national and global levels.

The new Consolidated strategic information guidelines for HIV in the health sector are being launched at the 3rd HIV surveillance consultation starting today in Bangkok, Thailand. The guidelines were developed in partnership with the Global Fund, UNAIDS, UNICEF and the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

I saw this somewhere and also seen this issue being dealt with. in TV Series like Bostson Legal, that a lot of Big Pharma cos. in the US charge a lot more for life-saving drugs than in India ! It would therefore be to the detriment of such cos. if precious drugs were available in India at easily affordable costs and the case for preventing FDI in Pharmaceutials becomes stronger, I am inclined to think.

Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in the functioning of the brain and the central nervous system, yet it is needed in smaller amounts than other vitamins.

It is available in meat sources but not in many plant-based vegetable sources of food.

The only reliable non-meat sources of B12 are foods fortified with B12 that include plant milks, some soya products and some breakfast cereals and B12 supplements.