Weight Loss Drugs, Spark Skepticism; Lifestyle Changes Win Trust Weight Loss Drugs, Spark Skepticism; Lifestyle Changes Win Trust Content Editor : Dr. Reetika September 23, 2025 PHC Editorial Bureau Nutrition, Obesity, and Pharmaceutical The Morning Consult, acting on behalf of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), conducted a survey that revealed: Of the 1,000 Indian responders, 82% have heard of weight-loss medications. Only 18% of respondents knew how the medications worked. A large percentage of participants, 65%, are concerned that the benefits of these drugs may be greatly exaggerated. An analysis of the findings from the last National Family Health Survey suggests household-level interventions over individual approaches, as obesity and overweight tend to run in families. The medical experts at PCRM suggest lifestyle changes such as a plant-based diet - with low-fat and high-fibre content - as a healthier, safer, and more sustainable alternative for weight loss.

What is New in Updated ICD-11 2023? What is New in Updated ICD-11 2023? February 15, 2023 WHO News section Global Health, Health Informatics, ICD-11 Update ICD-11 came into in effect in January 2022 for the national and international recording and reporting of causes of illness, death and more. Currently 64 Member States are in different stages of ICD-11 implementation. The 2023 release is the result of extensive input from early adopters, translators, scientists, and partners with over 500 proposals processed since 2022. What is new in ICD-11 2023 release? ICD-11 is multilingual. ICD-11 also has new and improved coding support and the maintenance platform has been upgraded. ICD-11 mapping tables have been updated for more accuracy. ICD-11 2023 release version includes content updates such as the list of current COVID-19 vaccines and SARS-COV-2 subtypes. ICD-11 has also been updated with a name change "mpox". ICD-11's reference guide has been updated with feedback from translators and users.

Cashless treatment: the way ahead to reduce mortality from road accidents? Cashless treatment: the way ahead to reduce mortality from road accidents? Content Editor: Dr. Swathi Shenoy April 6, 2024 Press Information Bureau Road traffic accidents, Prevention, Golden hour The Ministry of Roadway Transport and Highways launched a pilot programme to provide cashless treatment to victims of road accidents caused by motor vehicles. This programme aims to create an ecosystem for the timely treatment of victims and reduce fatalities caused by road accidents The pilot programme is being initiated in Chandigarh and the National Health Authority will be the implementing agency. The features of this programme are as follows: 1. Victims are entitled to cashless treatment up to a maximum of Rs. 1.5 lakhs per accident per person for a maximum period of 7 days from the date of the accident. 2. Applicable to all road accidents caused by the use of motor vehicles on any category of road. 3. AB PM-JAY packages for trauma and polytrauma cases will be co-opted. 4. The claims raised by hospitals for providing treatment will be reimbursed from the Motor Vehicle Accident Fund. Based on the outcomes of this programme, further expansion across the country will be planned.

Mental struggles faced by trans women in India: Study findings Mental struggles faced by trans women in India: Study findings Content Editor: Dr. Manu December 5, 2024 Social Trends Mental Health, LGBTQIA+ issues, Transwomen rights An exploratory quantitative study published in Wellcome Open Research journal, conducted by the George Institute of Global Health in Kolkata in collaboration with Kolkata Rista, an NGO , looked into the struggles faced by transgender women and the ways they face stigma amongst themselves and society. The following were the results - Transgender women face stigma from various sources in their day-to-day life: Internal stigma, which is self-directed; stigma from cis-gendered persons (Interpersonal stigma); and discrimination faced at the institutional level, such as at hospitals or by law enforcement (Structural stigma) . They face a lot of rejection from their families about their orientation. While some would find solace in hijra gharanas, the hierarchical relationships there also affect the mental health of younger chelas due to the elderly gurus. Stigma at schools would leave them unable to complete their education often, thus forcing them to look for work by begging or sex work. This also leads to poor treatment by law enforcement and hospital medical staff. The lack of education would hamper employment and further advancement. The researchers raised the importance of a greater focus on implementing laws already in place while inculcating sex education and sensitization in schools . Further, they advocated for increased representation of trans individuals at the policy-making and decision levels. Click here to read more.

Regulatory update: FSSAI bans '100% Fruit Juice' claims on reconstituted juices Regulatory update: FSSAI bans '100% Fruit Juice' claims on reconstituted juices Content Editor: Dr. Sumana June 12, 2024 Press Information Bureau Food Safety, Food Adulteration, Food standards FSSAI mandates all Food Business Operators (FBOs ) to immediately remove ‘100% fruit juices’ claims from labels and ads of reconstituted fruit juices. FBOs were instructed to use all pre-printed packaging effectively by September 1, 2024. FSSAI found inaccurate marketing of reconstituted juices as ‘100% fruit juices,’ which is misleading since these contain mainly water. The Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, prohibit ‘100%’ claims. FBOs must comply with sub-regulation 2.3.6 of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulation, 2011, and a compulsory mention of “reconstituted” on labels . Products with added sweeteners over 15 g/kg must be labeled ‘Sweetened juice.’ The FSSAI is committed to safeguarding public health by overseeing and enforcing food safety standards nationwide. Click here to read more.