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Category: Letters
July 01, 2012
In most developed nations, public health systems play a crucial role in maintaining the health status of the populace. While the private sector focuses on curative medicine and is oriented to the individual, the government is responsible for public health services, which are concerned with preven...
July 01, 2012
Recently, human embryonic stem cells (HESC) have been in the public discourse for a number of reasons. Prominent critiques have been about the ethical issues related to killing human embryos, adverse reactions, immune-rejections, malignancy, phenotypic/genetic anomalies in transplanted cells and ...
July 01, 2012
Teaching at the bedside is a time-tested and traditional method of instilling the basics of medical practice in students. In fact every medical student looks forward to "clinics at the bedside." The students see clinical signs, hear murmurs and palpate organs with excitement and enthusiasm. Th...
July 01, 2012
Every medical graduate is aware of the fact that getting a post-graduate seat in a good medical college in India is not child's play. The numbers of post-graduate seats, especially in medical colleges run by state governments, are dwindling every year. One has to spend a good 10 years up to post-...
April 01, 2012
A branded drug costs more than the same molecule available as a generic drug. Some state governments have issued instructions to doctors to prescribe only generic drugs, failing which punitive action may be taken against them. The intention appears to be good: to provide drugs to people at a low ...
April 01, 2012
The editorial by Drs. Prabha Chandra and Sowmyashree revisits the vexed problem of the best method of selection of post-graduate medical students. The problems they cite are true of the selection process for undergraduate students as well. There is no doubt that the recommendations in the Vision ...
January 01, 2012
This refers to a very thought-provoking article by Jayakrishnan. I fully agree with the statement, "Immunisation matters are left to manufacturers and international organisations, to "guide" and decide what is to be introduced in our market."
January 01, 2012
The past few years have witnessed the rise of highly publicised "lifestyle" drugs. They are used to alter our appearance, physical and mental capabilities, the effects of aging, and so on. As the availability of a treatment can convert a lifestyle wish into a health need, the pharmaceutical indus...
January 01, 2012
Ethics is very important to any research. Authors are expected to report if the research was done in an ethical manner. Various studies have highlighted the fact that reports of research involving human participants do not always give adequate information on ethical aspects of the study, such as ...
January 01, 2012
"Sir, I have already collected 15 cases in my research project, and have not taken consent from any of the participants. What should I do now?" asked a postgraduate student in an ethics committee meeting that I happened to be attending, several years ago. Promptly came the reply from the head of ...