#23: Barbie Goes Medicall, AI’s Take on TB and C-Sections Spark Cancer Risk Concerns

This week in healthcare: Robots enter the operation room, Barbie joins the diabetes care team, India ramps up on mosquitoes and a billion-rupee buyouts. Here's what moved the healthcare needle this week.

• 🤖 AI vs TB: India’s double strike. Pune-based startup DeepTek’s chest X-ray AI tool has earned the WHO’s recommendation to screen millions worldwide. Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu deploys a first-ever model to predict TB deaths. (EH) (NDTV) 

• 🇨🇭 BP taken cuffless? The FDA just said “yes”! Hilo Band by Swiss startup Aktiia gets OTC clearance to monitor blood pressure continuously through a wristband. (MobiHealth)

• 🎀 Barbie goes blue and medical! Sporting a glucose monitor, insulin pump and snack purse, this new doll celebrates the 1.2 M kids who struggle with Type 1 diabetes but with style and inclusivity. (TOI)

• ♂️ India enters the robotic age of male fertility care as a Government Medical College in Chandigarh (PGIMER) performs the country’s first robot-assisted vasovasostomy, a reverse vasectomy procedure, marking a technological feat in precision surgery. (ETHealth)

• 🤰🏻Planned C-section, unintended consequence? New research links planned C-section deliveries to a 21% higher risk of childhood leukaemia, a type of blood cancer, putting delivery decisions under the spotlight. (ETHealth)

• 🩸 Stroke before 60? Your blood type might spill the tea! People with group A face a 16% higher risk, while group O folks seem to catch a lucky break. However, your lifestyle continues to hold the real power. (FE) 

• 🚨 15 million lives at risk of gastric cancer. Born between 2008-2017? A global study links your generation to lifelong cancer risk from Helicobacter pylori, a common but often symptomless bacterium. Early screening and treatment could prevent up to 75% of cases, making urgent action essential. (IndiaTV)

• 💸 Mounjaro’s Indian market debut is no small feat - ₹50Cr in 90 days, with June credited for over 50%! Flagged in last month's The Health Relay, it's now leading the obesity drug race as Wegovy steps in. (ET)

• ​​💊 India’s Biocon Biologics wins UK MHRA regulatory approval for two affordable Denosumab biosimilars to treat cancer-related bone loss and osteoporosis. (ET)

• ⚠️ U.S. firm, Granules, recalls 33K bottles of India-made blood pressure drugs after FDA flags failed dissolution. Class II alert issued - may cause temporary harm, with low risk of serious effects (ET)

🇮🇳 India

• 🫀 Sudden cardiac deaths now notifiable in Karnataka: All unexplained deaths under the age of 45 must be reported and autopsied after 23 heart attack deaths in the state have raised vaccine safety concerns. Past Investigations have found no COVID-19 vaccine link, citing lifestyle and health factors instead. (IE)

• 🚽 Don’t bin, flush to prevent fatal misuse. India’s drug regulator, CDSCO, directs that 17 high-risk meds like tramadol, diazepam, and fentanyl be flushed if expired or unused to avoid accidental ingestion and environmental harm. (ET)

• 🦟 Andhra Pradesh launches Smart Mosquito Surveillance System (SMoSS) to tackle mosquito-borne diseases. AI sensors and drones track 66 hotspots, using real-time data for targeted action. (eHealth)

• 🧑🏻‍⚖️ Maharashtra revokes its order permitting homeopaths to prescribe allopathic medicines after completing the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP), citing safety concerns and legal challenges. A 7-member expert panel will now review the decision over the next two months. (ETHealth)

🌏️ Global

• ❌ A 5.4% share plunge for Ultragenyx, a California biopharma firm, after an FDA rejection over manufacturing lapses - compliance gaps come at a cost. (Reuters)

• 👴🏻 Seniors get the green chik! Valneva’s chikungunya vaccine is back on track for individuals above 65 in Europe. The European Medical Association lifts its age ban after fresh safety data clears concerns. (Reuters)

🇮🇳 India

• 📈 The auction’s over! Manipal Hospitals clinches Sahyadri in a ₹6,400 Cr deal,  adding 11 hospitals and sealing its expansion into western India. (ETHealth)

• 💰 Indian pharma company, Nectar Lifesciences, has sold its API (Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient) and related businesses to Ceph Lifesciences for ₹12.9B. APIs are the key components in medicines, and the deal is aimed at reducing debt, boosting innovation and delivering more value to shareholders. (ET)

🌏️ Global

• 🚀 Diabetes & weight‑loss meds get a Roman runway. With a new special commissioner, Italy is fast-tracking Novo’s €2.3B factory revamp near Rome. Targeted to go live in late 2026 and create 800 jobs. (Reuters)

• 📉 Mumbai pharma firm, Wockhardt, exits U.S. generics after sustained losses, shutting two subsidiaries and filing for liquidation. The company is shifting focus to antibiotics and insulin innovation. (ET)

• 🏥 Samsung acquires U.S. health-tech firm, Xealth, to bring hospital-grade remote care home. The move connects its wearables to over 500 U.S. hospitals for better patient tracking. (eHealth)