Pallium India Newsletter: June 2013

From: Pallium India Newsletter <info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "" <palliumindia@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 19:03:14 +0000

Pallium India
Care Beyond Cure

* ~~~~~~~~~ *
! June 2013 !
* ~~~~~~~~~ *
http://palliumindia.org/2013/06/june-2013/
June 27, 2013

DEAR FRIENDS,

VERY GOOD NEWS!

Maharashtra becomes the second state in India to have its own
palliative care policy. Congratulations, Dr M A Muckaden, Dr Priya Kulkarni and
all palliative care workers in Maharashtra for this great achievement.

The work is by no means over, though. In fact, the bulk of it starts
now. It is a big task to make sure that this great opportunity is utilized
optimally. Let us hope this declaration is followed by a proper system for
implementation. Best wishes, all colleagues in Maharashtra.

DEXTROPROPOXYPHENE BANNED: NOTHING SHORT OF A CALAMITY FOR INDIANS IN PAIN.
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/06/DEXTROPROPOXYPHENE-BANNED-NOTHING-SHORT-OF-A-CALAMITY-FOR-INDIANS-IN-PAIN/]

The Indian Palliative care community is aghast at what can only be
described as a calamity The Government of India has banned Dextropropoxyphene.
The axe has fallen on the least expensive step II opioid available for oral
use. Any other step II opioid is five times as expensive. 100 mg of Tramadol
four times a day would cost twice the daily income that defines the poverty
line. Stringent narcotic regulations restrict the availability of oral morphine
to a tiny fraction of the needy. What the average Indian could afford and could
get is Dextropropoxyphene. The major argument against it seems to be that
westerners use it to attempt suicide. This is hardly relevant for India.

The evidence against Dextropropoxyphene is flimsy. Positive scientific
evidence is usually available only in favor of expensive drugs because drug
research is costly, because 90% of drug research is funded by the
Pharmaceutical industry which has little interest in inexpensive drugs and
because it suits the interest of the industry if inexpensive drugs are pushed
out of the market.

We should not accept this. We have the duty to present the evidence
before the authorities and to seek a solution.

GAZETTE Dextropropoxyphene banned
[http://palliumindia.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/GAZETTE-Dextropropoxyphene-banned.pdf]

Related article in ehospice
[http://www.ehospice.com/india/ArticlesList/PleatoremovethebanontheanalgesicDextropropoxyphene061613064330/tabid/7185/ArticleId/5272/language/en-GB/View.aspx#.Ub9jwoUsqmh]

EUROPEAN UNION (EU) FINES 9 DRUG COMPANIES 146 MILLION EUROS FOR BLOCKING
CHEAPER DRUGS
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/06/EUROPEAN-UNION-EU-FINES-9-DRUG-COMPANIES-146-MILLION-EUROS-FOR-BLOCKING-CHEAPER-DRUGS/]

As if to underline our points about the Indian ban on
Dextropropoxyphene, nine drug manufactuers were fined a total of 146 million
euros by EU antitrust regulators on Wednesday for blocking the supply of a
cheaper anti-depressant medicine to the market. This action follows a 2009
report by the European Commission on the pharmaceutical sector, which said
“pay-for-delay” deals lead to consumers paying as much as 20% more for their
medicines.

The EU action came two days after the U.S. Supreme Court said that U.S.
regulators could challenge deals between brand-name drug companies and generic
rivals because of the higher consumer costs.

Pay-for-delay agreements involve brand-name firms paying generic
companies not to deliver versions of their drugs, which usually cost a fraction
of the original medicine, to market, although the issue is also complicated by
patent ownership.

CONGRATULATIONS, DR JEREMY JOHNSON MBE.
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/06/CONGRATULATIONS-DR-JEREMY-JOHNSON-MBE/]

Dr Jeremy Johnson, 63, from Shrewsbury, has been granted the accolade
of MBE (Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for services
to palliative medicine.

Dr Johnson was one of the original members of staff employed by Severn
Hospice in 1989 and retired earlier this year as its medical director. He and
his wife Penny are great friends of Palliative Care in India and have traveled
and taught extensively in India.

Congratulations, Jeremy. We are proud to be associated with you.

DIANNE GRAY ASSUMES OFFICE AS PRESIDENT OF ELISABETH KUBLER ROSS FOUNDATION
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/06/DIANNE-GRAY-ASSUMES-OFFICE-AS-PRESIDENT-OF-ELISABETH-KUBLER-ROSS-FOUNDATION-2/]

If you go to http://palliumindia.org/2010/12/a-letter-parent-to-parent/
[http://palliumindia.org/2010/12/a-letter-parent-to-parent/] you can read about
a mother’s story of pain and love – when her child and she went through many
years of suffering. That mother, Dianne Gray has just assumed office as
President of Elisabeth Kubler Ross Foundation ( http://www.ekrfoundation.org/
[http://www.ekrfoundation.org/] )

BEST WISHES TO YOU IN YOUR NEW CHAIR, DIANNE, AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU
ARE DOING FOR CHILDREN.

SEVATHON 2013: JULY 14 – REGISTER NOW!
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/05/SEVATHON-201/]

SUNDAY 14TH JULY 2013 – 7.30AM ONWARDS

BAYLANDS PARK, SUNNYVALE, CA
[HTTP://MAPS.GOOGLE.COM/MAPS/PLACE?FTID=0X808FB7DA752EF43D:0XBCA673F1907E1C2D]

5K/10K/HALF-MARATHON

DOWNLOAD PDF FLYER
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/CMS/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2013/05/SEVATHON2013.PDF] &
REGISTER HERE… [HTTP://KONNECTME.ORG/GROUPS/PROFILE/3868/PALLIUM-INDIA-USA]

WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT SEVATHON 2013!

IAPCON 2014 [HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/06/IAPCON-2014/]

The organizing committee of the 21st International Conference of Indian
Association of Palliative Care (IAPCON 2014) invites all to Odisha to join for
the IAPCON 2014. The conference organized by Acharya Harihar Regional Cancer
Centre, Cuttack, will be held at KIMS Campus, Bhubaneswar- the capital of
Odisha from 14-16 February 2014.

The theme of the conference is “EVIDENCE-BASED PALLIATIVE MEDICINE”.
Pre-conference workshops will be held on 13th February 2014.

ADDRESS: Organising Secretaries, IAPCCON 2014, Department Of
Anaesthesia, Pain Relief & Palliative Care, AH Regional Cancer Centre, Cuttack
753007, Odisha – Fax No : +91 671 2304683 – Email: iapcon2014@xxxxxxxxx
[mailto:iapcon2014@xxxxxxxxx] , ahrccpc@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:ahrccpc@xxxxxxxxx]

10TH ASIA PACIFIC HOSPICE CONFERENCE
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/2013/06/10TH-ASIA-PACIFIC-HOSPICE-CONFERENCE/]

[http://palliumindia.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/image005.jpg]

The ONLINE REGISTRATION for the 10th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference is
open.

Please follow this link to register:
HTTP://WWW.APHC2013.COM/REG_CHOOSE.PHP [HTTP://WWW.APHC2013.COM/REG_CHOOSE.PHP]

Early bird registration closes on 10 July 2013.

ASIA PACIFIC HOSPICE PALLIATIVE CARE NETWORK
Office +65-62355166 [tel:%2B65-62355166] Fax +65-67250905 [tel:%2B65-67250905]
aphn@xxxxxxxx [mailto:aphn@xxxxxxxx] www.aphn.org
[http://www.aphn.org/] Mailing address: Department of Palliative Medicine,
National Cancer Centre, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore 169610

PARTING SHOT

THANK YOU SOFIA!

Please give a thought to children who lost a parent to disease.

Would it not be a privilege to make some of their dreams your own?
Our Kuttikkoottam (Kids’ Kollective) supports education of nearly 200 such
children. (Education; not just schooling!).

One of them who passed the 12th class with an A+ in all subjects but
one, wants to study for medicine, and we are looking for support for her
“entrance coaching classes” for a year including hostel fees – estimated at
around US 2000. Three kind people have offered to help. A few more and we shall
reach our target!

University of Iowa student Sofia Danziger and friends, working on
behalf of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. – Alpha Chapter and Sigma
Lambda Beta International Fraternity Inc.- Alpha Chapter, decided to fund-raise
for Pallium India.

PLEASE SEE: HTTP://WWW.INDIEGOGO.COM/PROJECTS/HOPE-FOR-PALLIUM
[HTTP://WWW.INDIEGOGO.COM/PROJECTS/HOPE-FOR-PALLIUM]

SOFIA AND COLLEAGUES, YOU TOUCH OUR HEARTS. THANK YOU.

WHY NOT DONATE? EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS.

* $ 5 will pay for Medicines for a week
* $ 20 = Medicines for a month
* $ 80 = Schooling support for one child/year
* $ 500 = Vocational rehabilitation for a family

VISIT PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/DONATE [HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/DONATE]

[http://palliumindia.org/manifesto]

DON’T FORGET TO SIGN THE MORPHINE MANIFESTO
[HTTP://PALLIUMINDIA.ORG/MANIFESTO] !

Pallium India Newsletter: June 2013

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