Health reporter @TheWire_in+@TheWireScience | Ex @down2earthindia,@timesofindia | Twtr hibernation: 2010-19 | ViewsOwn | RT≠endorsement |banjotkbhatia@gmail.com
Sep 30, 2022 • 12 tweets • 5 min read
Today was the first appearance of India’s #DCGI on a public platform after the WHO suspended the supply of #BharatBiotech’s #Covaxin to UN due to quality issues it found in its manufacturing practises, in March this year (1/n)
It was at @CPR_India dialogues series where the discussion was happening about regulation of various health aspects in India. I asked him ( at 1.01.20) since WHO had already submitted the inspection report; also the Bharat Biotech’s corrective plan and
Aug 23, 2022 • 13 tweets • 7 min read
Though #BharatBiotech is now waiting to launch an all new intranasal vaccine against #Covid_19 pending regulator's nod, its problems with #Covaxin are still far from over ever since #WHO suspended its supply for UN agencies in April (1/n) science.thewire.in/health/exclusi…
It's 4 months into suspension already but WHO is still not satisfied with company's good manufacturing practises (GMPs), it told me last Friday, sharing its assessment of corrective and preventive action (CAPA) plan submitted by company in June. Here's what the WHO exactly said:
Replying my four RTI applications in 2019, @Pharmadept gave me names of 20 pharma firms, which the govt knew, had bribed the docs. This was info ON RECORD. But not a single company got punished. (1/n) downtoearth.org.in/news/health/th…
But @Pharmadept refused to name the docs bribed, saying, it would be seek permission of those who made complaints against docs. When I also reached to original complainants, they had no obj. Still DoP nvr shared names. Asked what action did it take, it said, ask @MoHFW_INDIA
Jun 16, 2022 • 9 tweets • 3 min read
Eight years of #Modi rule: How did the government perform in #health sector. Thread (1/n)
DISEASE ELIMINATION DEADLINES
Kala-azar: 2017. Revised 2020 ❌
Leprosy: 2018 ❌
Filariasis: 2017 ❌
Now, new deadlines for KA: 2023. Filariasis: 2030
TB elimination deadline: 2025
Interim target to be achieved till 2020: 142 per 100,000
But prevalence in 2019-21: 312 per 100,000
Apr 14, 2022 • 10 tweets • 3 min read
The #WHO on April 2 issued a statement saying the supply of #Covaxin to UN agencies had been suspended due to "deficiencies in good manufacturing practices". There were not mny details. In an email, they have now told @TheWireScience the following : science.thewire.in/health/who-cov… (1/n)
"Problems were detected in some parts of the manufacturing process. SOME CHANGES WERE MADE after the emergency-use license was granted but were not submitted to the national drug regulator and WHO for evaluation and validation."
Mar 3, 2022 • 7 tweets • 2 min read
TRUST DRUG CONTROLLER: Paul's response in @MoHFW_INDIA press conference today, responding to a question why no data in public domain on #Corbevax @TheWireScience
UNTIMELY death of a loved one, even if it has happened more than a decade ago, is an extremely difficult fact to come to terms with. Two days ago a friend and I, out of nowhere, went discussing about last 11 days of another friend who died for want of a liver transplant+
She was our batchmate during graduation at a Varanasi univ. She continued to pursue Master’s from there, I moved to Delhi. We were 21. One fine day during our PG days, we got to know she was suffering from liver cirrhosis—otherwise a totally fit person.
Dec 4, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
At times, one has to write just to record for the history. That, a country's regulator invites media for webinar on clinical trials and when a question is asked, the reply is this 👇
"My request was to limit the question regarding understanding the processes involved. About the specifics of the things you are questioning, there are forums…there are weekly press conferences by department / ministry. This question can be asked there." downtoearth.org.in/news/health/dr…
Dec 3, 2020 • 7 tweets • 3 min read
So a media report says #DCGI has refuted any causal link between the serious adverse event (SAE) and #SII COVID vaccine trial participant. When we posed ques to the health ministry secy on December 1, he asked us to look into New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules, 2019 (1/n)
What these Rules say (in case the death hasn't occurred) 1. The sponsor and the investigator shall forward their reports on an SAE to the Central Licencing Authority (DCGI), ethics committee and the head of the institution where the trial was conducted within 14 days of SAE(2/n)
Apr 4, 2020 • 15 tweets • 6 min read
We know the idea of asking reporters to put quests on @MoHFW_INDIA WA group before #pressers has been farcical. Not only quests are cherry-picked, hardly 1 or 2 are taken up. Here's a thread of quests which went #unanswered on #Apr_3. #IndiaFightsCoronavirus by #GaggingPress.
1.Out of all the tests done in India so far, can Dr Gangakhedkar clarify how many individual people been tested,and how many second, third, fourth tests etc have been done?- Some states have announced they will expand testing criteria from ICMR's criteria. Are they allowed?
