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.

The Centre is gearing up to unveil a series of digital healthcare initiatives, including the much-anticipated Aarogya Setu 2.0, at the 16th meeting of the Central Council of Health and Family Welfare (CCHFW) on June 29 at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi.

The Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda will chair the meeting, which will be joined by the Health Ministers from States and Union Territories, Members of Parliament, senior government officials, public health experts, and other members of the council. Ministers of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel and Prataprao Jadhav are also expected to attend.

This edition of the meeting has an agenda including the progress of the National Health Mission (NHM), India's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets, reforms in the food and drug sector, and ways to improve allied health services.

The Aarogya Setu 2.0 app will also be launched on this occasion. The app is being transformed into a Personal Health Record (PHR) app that lets users create and manage their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA), securely store and share medical records, receive AI-powered health insights, and sync with wearable devices.

The revamped app is designed to let users register for OPD appointments, pay hospital bills, track family health records, and locate nearby hospitals, ambulance services, blood banks, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and PM-JAY hospitals without leaving the app.

The Ayushman App is also getting a major overhaul. People covered under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY) will be able to check their eligibility, manage Ayushman Cards, access treatment history, search for empanelled hospitals, raise grievances, and connect with support services through a single interface.

To make these services even more accessible, especially for those who may not be comfortable using dedicated mobile apps, the government will launch Ayushman Sarathi, a WhatsApp-based chatbot. Through a simple chat, users will be able to access key PM-JAY services without navigating complex menus, a move expected to benefit people in rural and underserved areas.

The conference will also plan to launch other digital platforms. These include the National Health Claims Exchange (NHCX), which seeks to make insurance claim processing quicker and more seamless across public and private insurers; the Unified Health Interface (UHI), which is intended to connect patients with healthcare providers through an interoperable digital network; and e-Sushrut Clinic, a clinic management solution designed to help hospitals and clinics digitise everyday operations while integrating with the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission.

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Notably, the broader focus remains on improving healthcare delivery. With States sharing their experiences, reviewing ongoing programmes and discussing future priorities, the conference is likely to shape the next phase of India's digital public health journey.

The Ebola virus disease outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reached 1,203 confirmed cases, including 321 deaths, according to the latest report from the country's public health authorities.

The report said 148 patients have recovered, while 419 remain in isolation or are receiving hospital care. Health authorities have also identified 265 suspected cases, including 77 deaths.

WHO Warns Fight Is Far From Over

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X that contact tracing in the DRC is reaching more people and more Ebola patients are recovering and returning home.

However, he warned that the fight is "far from over."

"War and insecurity still slow the response, and mistrust is the real battleground. Win trust, and we win this," he said.

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Nearly 300 Confirmed Patients Unaccounted For

The whereabouts of nearly 300 people who tested positive for Ebola remain unknown, according to Africa's top public health official.

The figures on recoveries, patients in treatment and deaths indicate that 297 confirmed cases are currently unaccounted for.

"This is a concern that we have. Where are these people?" Dr Jean Kaseya, Director General of the Africa Centers for Disease Control andPrevention (Africa CDC), was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

He added that the ongoing humanitarian crisis and conflict in affected areas have left more than one million people living in camps that health workers cannot access.

WHO Projects More Than 8,000 Cases

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The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, was officially declared on May 15.

As per projections published by the World Health Organization's Africa regional office in The Lancet Infectious Diseases estimate that the outbreak could reach about 8,210 cases and 1,420 deaths by mid-September.

Clinical Trials Set To Begin

The first trial of drugs that may treat the Bundibugyo virus is expected to begin in the DRC next week. A separate trial testing an antiviral drug to prevent infection among close contacts is scheduled to start a week later.

The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

Scientists working to develop vaccines and therapies say progress is being slowed by the lack of a viable virus sample.

US CDC Raises Response To Highest Level

Meanwhile, the US CDC raised its response to the Ebola outbreak in the Congo to its highest level, but said the risk of the disease spreading in the US remained low.

The move, reserved for the most severe health crises, signals growing concern over the rare strain's rapid spread.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention raised its emergency activation to Level 1. It is the most severe designation, which is reserved for critical emergencies and assigns the largest number of staff possible to work the response.

The CDC has also deployed 19 staff members overseas to assist its country teams with the response, Dr Satish Pillai, incident manager for the CDC's Ebola response, said ⁠in a press briefing.

The CDC is also providing financial resources to partners on the ground and has trained 25 local field epidemiologists who can operate in areas that CDC staff cannot access.

India has joined the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP)-led NeoSep1 clinical trial, a landmark international study evaluating new antibiotic treatments for newborns with drug-resistant sepsis.

Sepsis is the second leading cause of neonatal mortality in India after prematurity and low birth weight, accounting for an estimated 30–40 per cent of all newborn deaths.

The NeoSep1 trial began in India with the first baby enrolled at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry, followed by Pt. B.D. Sharma PGIMS in Rohtak. Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and General Hospital in Mumbai is also expected to begin enrolling newborns soon.

"Every day doctors face the heartbreaking reality of losing babies to sepsis due to lack of safe and effective treatments," said Dr Nishad Plakkal, Principal Investigator of the NeoSep1 trial in India and Associate Dean (Research) and Professor and Head of the Department of Neonatology at JIPMER.

"Having the right antibiotics at the right dose can tip the balance between life and death. This trial offers hope to change that," Plakkal added.

"The trial will give neonatologists new tools, and give babies with sepsis a fighting chance at life," said Sally Ellis, who leads GARDP's Children's Antibiotics Program.

Why Newborns Are At Greater Risk

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According to Ellis, newborns are particularly vulnerable to life-threatening sepsis because of their underdeveloped immune systems.

The growing burden of antibiotic resistance in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has further worsened the problem by reducing the effectiveness of standard treatments. Studies have reported extremely high resistance to the combination of ampicillin and gentamicin, the antibiotic regimen currently recommended by the World Health Organization for the initial treatment of neonatal sepsis.

"Today, we stand at a tipping point. The antibiotics for newborns that we have relied on for decades are failing against resistant infections in many hospital settings," Ellis said.

What Is The NeoSep1 Trial?

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An estimated 3 million newborns develop sepsis every year. The condition occurs when the body's response to an infection triggers widespread inflammation, potentially leading to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. More than 90% of neonatal sepsis deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.

The NeoSep1 trial aims to identify safe and effective antibiotic regimens that can reduce deaths caused by drug-resistant neonatal sepsis.

The first phase of the study, conducted in South Africa and Kenya in 2023, validated the appropriate doses of fosfomycin and flomoxef when used in combination with other antibiotics in newborns.

The second phase is using a Personalised Randomised Controlled Trial (PRACTical) design to evaluate and rank multiple antibiotic regimens for newborns with sepsis. The approach is expected to help clinicians choose the most effective treatments based on local patterns of antibiotic resistance while also informing future national and international treatment guidelines.

The NeoSep1 trial is expected to enroll 3,000 newborns across Asia and Africa by the end of 2028.

Along with India, newborns have already been enrolled in Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa. Hospitals in Vietnam, Pakistan, Malaysia, Bangladesh, and Uganda are also expected to join the study.

Warning Signs of Sepsis

Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection that harms the immune system, tissues, and organs. It can lead to organ failure or death if not treated urgently, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

According to Sepsis Alliance, the acronym TIME can help people recognize potential warning signs of sepsis and seek urgent medical care.

T — Temperature: Body temperature is unusually high or low.

I — Infection: Signs or symptoms of an infection are present.

M — Mental Decline: Confusion, excessive sleepiness, or difficulty waking up.

E — Extremely Ill: Severe pain, extreme discomfort, or shortness of breath.