Author: Biotech Express

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Union Government to reconsider its guidelines that excluded suicides from Covid-19 death certificates. Justice M.R. Shah said that it is prima facie of the view that such suicide cases of Covid positive patients be treated as Covid deaths. The Centre assured the court it would re-examine the issue. The division bench led by Justice M.R. Shah and Justice A.S. Bopanna expressed satisfaction with the Centre’s decision on Covid-19 death certificates for granting compensation but said 3-4 issues need to be sorted including that of suicides of Covid positive patients which needed to be…

The award, that includes a $100,000 prize, celebrates those changing the reality of farming in Africa from a struggle practice to a business that lifts communities out of poverty. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has been awarded the 2021 Africa Food Prize, for work that has improved food security across 13 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT, a CGIAR Research Center, is a non-profit, non-political public international research organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Between 2007 and 2019, ICRISAT led a…

Deaths occurring due to poisoning, suicide, homicide, accidents etc. will not be treated as Covid-19 deaths even if the virus infection is an accompanying condition, say the guidelines. The Union Health Ministry and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) have jointly come out with guidelines for issuing “official document” in case of Covid-related deaths. As per these guidelines, submitted by the Centre to the Supreme Court in a case seeking compensation for Covid deaths, those cases that are diagnosed through an RT-PCR/ Molecular Test/ Rapid Antigen Test, or that have been clinically determined in a hospital or an in-patient facility…

Bharat Biotech’s intranasal COVID-19 vaccine candidate is expected to enter the Phase II portion of a Phase II/III study within the next few weeks. This marks the second vaccine against the novel coronavirus developed by the India-based company. It’s a significant milestone for intranasal formulations. The nod from India’s Health Authority makes Bharat’s BBV154 candidate the first intranasal vaccine in development for COVID-19 in the country. Phase I data from the intranasal formulation, is promising. Not only was the vaccine candidate well-tolerated, but the medication also blocks viral entry into the body. Full details of the study will be presented…

The business magazine recently released its 35th annual list of billionaires, which featured a record-breaking 2,755 names. The life sciences industry was well-represented, with a handful of names featured in the top 100. Here’s a look at the top 10 billionaires including Cyrus Poonawalla from India. 1. Jiang Rensheng and family: Jiang Rensheng came in at No. 69 on the Forbes list with a net worth of $24.4 billion. Rensheng serves as chairman of Chongqing ZFSW Biological Products. 2. Li Xiting: Although Li Xiting sits in spot No. 82 on Forbes’ list of the world’s richest people, he holds the…

Dr. Anthony Fauci has flip-flopped or been proven wrong on a host of different coronavirus measures and recommendations since the virus first hit the United States last winter. Fauci, the leading White House coronavirus task force member, has changed positions or faced scientific data proving his stances are flawed on issues ranging from mask wearing to the severity of the virus and from asymptomatic spread to effective treatments for patients, among other issues. Keywords: Origin of CoV funding, Mask mandates, Vaccine doses, Lockdown mandate On March 8 2020, Fauci described lockdown measures in China as “draconian” and stated that such…

by Seema Pavgi Upadhye Keeping away the desperate from the needed resources in emergency is equivalent to crime which is under commitment when the organizations like USFDA and WHO are not approving a vaccine because it is Made in India. Politicization of COVID is not new since the beginning of pandemic but here the points have been discussed to understand what it cost to ignore COVAXIN when whole world is suffering from this catastrophe. Rise of Variants- All viruses like every living thing evolve over time, due to the replication errors, some mutations are beneficial but some can be dangerous…

The rapid spread of this virus has led to the closing down of Courts and Tribunals in the country to avoid human association and to curb the spread of novel coronavirus in the country. The outbreak of COVID -19 is affecting litigation in multiple ways and has also crippled the courts across the country as judges, advocates and litigants are trying to achieve justice under the law while balancing public safety but courts are working and bringing judiciary to its best when it is required utmost. There have been instances where decision of Judiciary has been appreciated and brought justice…

It is my immense pleasure to announce that Prof Pallu Reddanna has joined the Advisory Board of Biotech Express magazine. He is an eminent personality in Life Sciences and a well known name in Biotech Industry. Prof Reddanna is Executive president of FABA and is actively involved in promoting Indian biotech in Asia and around the world. Kamal Pratap Singh, Managing Editor Brief Profile: Prof. Pallu Reddanna Prof. Reddanna was born in Reddivaripalli village, Lakkireddipalle in Kadapa District, Andhra Pradesh, in the year 1954, completed schooling from ZPH School, graduation (1974), post-graduation(1976) and doctoral studies (1979) from Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati,…

Archana Bhati1, Priya Sinha2, Barkha Singhal*1,2 School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida (U.P.), India, Pin: 201312, Email id: barkha@gbu.ac.in, gupta.barkha@gmail.com *Corresponding Author: Barkha Singhal, Ph.D Phone: +911202344290, Fax: +911202344205 http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0538-662X Abstract Gut is the reservoir of trillions of diversified cells creating complex ecosystem but maintaining marvelous balance in the form of homeostasis in humans. The global scientific literature gives convincing evidence of the role of different microbes and their genetic constitution (gut microbiome) is associated with variety of good health as well as pathological conditions. Simultaneously gut serves as welcome mat for SARS-CoV and acting as good reservoir…