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Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya on Thursday said that the government wants to reduce the compliance-burden on the pharma industry for ease of doing business. Speaking as the chief guest at an Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association (IDMA) event here, Mandivya, who is also the Minister for Health and Family Welfare, said that the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre is not only pro-poor and pro-farmer but industry-friendly as well. We want the ease of doing business for the industry and lessen the compliance burden on it. This is why we always carry out consultations with all stakeholders prior to the formulation of any policy or regulation (governing the pharma industry), Mandaviya said. The government is helping the industry by amending the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and promoting Ease of Doing Business, he said, adding, We are involving the industry in decision-making processes. Also, through a series of webinars, the government has tried to
A new study has found the drugs behind the new pills to treat COVID-19 remain very effective against the Omicron variant of the virus in lab tests.The research has been published in the 'New England Journal of Medicine'.However, lab tests also showed that the available antibody therapies -- typically given intravenously in hospitals -- are substantially less effective against omicron than against earlier variants of the virus. Some antibodies have entirely lost their ability to neutralize omicron at realistic dosages.If the ability of the antiviral pills to combat omicron is confirmed in human patients, it would be welcome news. Public health officials expect the pills to become an increasingly common treatment for COVID-19 that will reduce the severity of the disease in at-risk patients and decrease the burden of the pandemic.For now, the pills remain in short supply during the current omicron wave, which has broken case records in the U.S. and other countries.The findings ...