The Union Health Ministry implemented a ban on 156 "irrational" FDC medicines, effective immediately. These medicines, including widely used antibiotics, painkillers, and multivitamins, were commonly used to treat fever, cough, and infections. The ban was imposed due to the associated health risks and lack of therapeutic justification for the ingredients in these FDCs.

What are FDC medicines?

FDCs or fixed-dosed combinations, also known as "cocktail drugs," are medications that combine multiple drugs in a single pill. They are designed to treat multiple symptoms or conditions simultaneously. While they offer convenience, they can pose significant risks. These risks include the possibility of overdose, adverse interactions between the drugs, and the development of antibiotic resistance. Additionally, many FDC medicines lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and efficacy.

Expert opinions on FDC medicines

Experts have raised concerns about the use of FDC medicines. They believe that many of these combinations lack sufficient scientific evidence to support their safety and effectiveness. Additionally, the combination of multiple drugs in a single pill can increase the risk of adverse side effects and interactions with other medications.

Experts have also found that FDC medicines may not be as effective as individual drugs in treating certain conditions. It is important to note that safer and more effective alternatives are available for most of the medical conditions that FDC medicines were used to treat. One particular concern is the inclusion of antibiotics in some FDCs. Overuse of antibiotics can contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance, a major public health threat.

The risks of FDC medicines

The use of FDC medicines can lead to adverse effects, including serious ones. Additionally, safer alternatives, tested in clinical trials, are available to treat the same medical conditions. Experts recommend prescribing drugs individually based on a patient's clinical symptoms rather than combining them in FDCs.

The ban on irrational FDC medicines by the Union Health Ministry can be seen as a positive step towards promoting rational drug use and protecting public health. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary and potentially harmful drug combinations. This is a step forward in reducing the risks associated with medication and ensure safer and more effective treatment options for patients.

There has been a long-running belief that COVID-19 vaccines are behind sudden deaths in young adults. Posts circulating on social media and unverified online claims have repeatedly linked vaccination to sudden collapses, heart attacks, or unexpected deaths, particularly among people aged 18 to 45 who seemed otherwise healthy.

These claims have caused anxiety among families, despite the absence of solid scientific backing. A new study published by AIIMS now brings much-needed clarity on whether COVID vaccines have any connection to sudden deaths in young adults.

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AIIMS Study Finds No Link Between Covid Vaccination And Sudden Deaths In Adults

Worries around sudden deaths in young adults have increased in recent years, especially in the period following the COVID-19 pandemic. Speculation blaming COVID vaccines gained traction across platforms, adding to public concern. However, fresh findings from a study carried out by the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, offer a clear answer. After examining detailed autopsy reports, researchers concluded that underlying heart disease, and not COVID-19 vaccination, is the leading cause of sudden deaths in younger individuals.

Heart Problems Leading Cause Among Deaths In Young People

The AIIMS study found that heart-related conditions were responsible for 42.6 per cent of sudden deaths among people aged 18 to 45 years. Within this group, heart attacks accounted for nearly 85 per cent of cardiac-related deaths. Other contributing factors included structural abnormalities of the heart, congenital defects, and inflammation of the heart muscle. Respiratory illnesses made up around 21.3 per cent of sudden deaths, with choking, pneumonia, and tuberculosis emerging as the main causes. In close to one-fifth of the cases, doctors were unable to determine the exact cause of death.

No Evidence Linking Deaths To Covid Or Vaccines

Crucially, the researchers observed no meaningful rise in sudden deaths among individuals who had previously contracted COVID-19 or received the vaccine. Of the cases analysed, only 4.3 per cent had a history of COVID infection, while 82.8 per cent had been vaccinated. Dr Sudheer Arava, Professor of Pathology at AIIMS, explained that the year-long study reviewed nearly 100 cases and found no signs of vaccine-related complications, with just one instance of myocarditis reported. The findings also pointed to differences across age groups.

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Among those aged 46 to 65, nearly three-quarters of sudden deaths were linked to heart disease, while unexplained deaths were far fewer. Notably, the proportion of women among sudden deaths was higher in the younger age group than among older adults. The study carries weight as it directly challenges claims blaming COVID-19 vaccines for sudden deaths.

Doctors emphasise that lifestyle-related issues such as unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity, and chronic stress continue to play a major role in heart disease among younger people. This, they say, highlights the importance of early prevention and regular health screenings. Dr Arava also urged the public to rely on credible scientific information and steer clear of misinformation that could erode trust in proven public health measures, including vaccination.

zDelhi woke up again to a yet another thick smoggy morning, with visibility dropping low. On Monday morning, the city's average air quality index or AQI stood at 'severe' category for the third consecutive day. As of 6am, the data from the Air Quality Early Warning System for Delhi stood at 457. As per the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), at least four stations, including Ashok Vihar, Jahangirpuri, Rohini, Wazirpur, recorded AQI of 500 at 7am.

As of 10am on Monday morning, Delhi stood at 480, Noida at 551, Greater Noida at 568, Gurugram at 454, Faridabad at 546, and Ghaziabad at 569, all under 'severe' category.

As a result, the Commission for Air Quality Management has issued directives to Delhi and NCR state governments on Sunday, December 14. The directives suggest for an immediate halt on all outdoor physical sports activity. This move has come after concerns were raised around schools that are still continuing outdoor activities despite poor air quality.

Amid this, a Lancet study also revealed that 15 lakh annual deaths in India are due to long-term exposure to air pollution. The particulate matter or PM2.5 found in air pollution is linked to many health issues. Since the particles are so small in size, it could easily penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, and cause serious health impacts. However, despite the global studies highlighting the country's ever-growing pollution problem, the Centre stated that "there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation if death/disease exclusively due to air pollution."

What Does The Lancet Study Say About Air Pollution And Health?

The comprehensive Lancet study conducted an analysis from 2009 to 2019, and measured the consequence of long-term exposure to fine particulate matter or PM2.5.

The study estimated: “1·5 million deaths occurred annually due to long-term exposure to PM2·5 in India every year in excess of the 5 μg/m3 that is recommended by the WHO ambient air quality guidelines.”

The study noted that every 10μg/m³ increase in annual PM2·5 concentration was associated with an 8.6 pc higher risk of all-cause mortality.

Using India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, researchers estimate that about 3.8 million deaths between 2009 and 2019 were linked to PM2.5 exposure. When WHO guidelines were applied, the number rose sharply to 16.6 million, nearly one-fourth of all deaths in the country. The analysis relied on advanced causal methods and high-resolution models that mapped district-level PM2.5 exposure across India, while accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status, age distribution, and indoor air pollution.

These findings are backed by a 2017 time-series study from Delhi that examined the short-term impact of air pollution on deaths from natural causes. The researchers pointed out that studies worldwide have consistently shown a clear link between common urban air pollutants and harmful health effects. Despite Delhi’s well-documented air quality crisis, they noted that limited local evidence on how specific pollutants affect health had long slowed meaningful policy action.

Different Pollutants Impact Different Age Groups

To bridge this gap, the study analyzed data from 2008 to 2010, focusing on key pollutants: particulate matter under 10 micrometres (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O3). Using a semi-parametric regression model that adjusted for non-linear factors such as time trends, temperature, and humidity, the researchers found strong links between short-term exposure to both particulate and gaseous pollutants and daily all-cause mortality.

They estimated that every 10 μg/m³ rise in PM10 levels was associated with a 0.14 per cent increase in all-cause deaths. Among gaseous pollutants, NO2 had the strongest impact, with a 1 per cent rise in mortality for every 10 μg/m³ increase in daily concentration. Ozone and carbon monoxide also showed significant effects, even after accounting for NO2 levels. The analysis that was done based on age also revealed that particulate matter affected older adults aged 65 and above. Whereas, gaseous pollutants had a greater impact on people aged 5 to 44.

Overall, the researchers concluded that the evidence clearly reinforces the link between poor ambient air quality and increased all-cause mortality.

The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that in 2022, there were nearly 20 million new cancer case in the world. These have included lung, breast, and colorectal cancers. This has led to death of 9.7 million in the year. This means about 1 in 5 people could develop cancer in their lifestyle, and the number is rising significantly by 2050.

While there are new studies, targeted cell therapies that are now opening more doors to cancer treatments, a new study by the University of California, San Diego, could be worrisome. This new study found that some cancer cells turn on their "cell death" mode during drug therapy. So, what happens is that the drug, instead of killing them, persist and regrow in some of the case. This is how drug resistance in cancer cells functions, and by targeting this cell-death programme in cancer cells, scientists could potentially stop the growth of cancer after therapy.

The findings have been found in a peer-reviewed journal Nature Cell Biology.

Why cancer often comes back

Cancer remains one of the biggest global health threats, causing nearly 10 million deaths every year. One of the hardest parts of treating cancer is that it can return, even after treatment seems successful. Doctors call this cancer relapse or recurrence. It happens when some cancer cells survive the first round of treatment and begin growing again after a period of dormancy.

Relapse rates vary by cancer type. Lung cancer, for instance, has a higher chance of returning, while breast cancer generally has lower relapse rates. Still, one problem cuts across many cancers: drug resistance. Over time, cancer cells can learn how to survive medicines designed to kill them.

A surprising discovery during treatment

In this study, researchers set out to look for early signs of drug resistance in cancer cells. They expected to find genetic changes or mutations. Instead, they found something unexpected. Some cancer cells respond to treatment by turning into what scientists call “persister cells.”

These persister cells stop growing during therapy and enter a dormant state. At first glance, this looks like success. But what happens next is more troubling. These cells activate a built-in cell death program, the same process the body uses to break down dying cells. However, the program does not finish the job.

How cancer cells escape death

Rather than dying, these persister cells release enzymes that help them restart growth. One key enzyme involved is DNA Fragmentation Factor B, or DFFB. Normally, DFFB helps fragment DNA in cells that are meant to die. In these cancer cells, it is activated at low levels. That is not enough to kill the cell, but enough to help it escape dormancy and start growing again.

“This flips our understanding of cancer cell death on its head,” said senior author Matthew J. Hangauer. He explained that signals meant to kill cancer cells can sometimes help them survive and regrow instead.

What this means for cancer treatment

The findings offer a new way to think about drug resistance. Instead of relying on genetic mutations, cancer cells may use internal survival mechanisms to outlast treatment. This insight opens the door to new treatment strategies.

The researchers tested this idea by disabling DFFB in melanoma, lung cancer, and breast cancer models. Without the enzyme, the cancer cells stayed dormant and could not restart growth. Importantly, DFFB does not appear to be essential in normal cells, suggesting that targeting it may not cause major side effects.

As first author August F. Williams noted, focusing on these early, non-genetic survival pathways could help patients stay in remission longer and lower the risk of cancer returning.