Air India crash pilot's medical records examined amid 'mental health issues' as probe into tragedy continues
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ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
UK-India trade deal sparks fears over access to cheap medicines for millions
A newly signed trade agreement between India and the UK has triggered concerns that millions of poor Indians may lose access to affordable life-saving medicines. Civil society groups and health experts say the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), finalised between two countries, tilts the balance in favour of multinational pharmaceutical corporations and threatens to erode long-standing protections that have allowed India to produce low-cost generic drugs. 'This is not just about trade. It's about whether a person living on ₹200 (£2) a day can afford cancer treatment or survive tuberculosis,' said Jyotsna Singh, co-convenor of the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatments. At the heart of the controversy are the agreement's intellectual property (IP) provisions, which activists say may restrict the Indian government's ability to issue compulsory licences—legal tools that allow domestic companies to manufacture patented drugs at reduced prices during public health emergencies. India used this provision in 2012 to dramatically cut the price of sorafenib, a cancer drug sold by Bayer under the brand Nexavar. Generic versions slashed the monthly cost by nearly 97%, from ₹2.8 lakh (£2,600) to around ₹8,800 (£80), making it affordable to thousands. 'By discouraging compulsory licensing and promoting voluntary licences, the deal hands over control of access to medicines to the market,' said Prof Biswajit Dhar, a trade expert and former professor at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University. 'Voluntary licences often come with strings attached and don't bring the same price reductions.' Weakening India's Patent Safeguards Under the FTA, companies will no longer need to report annually how their patents are being 'worked'—or used—in India. Instead, disclosures can be made every three years, and some information can be kept confidential. Activists say this undermines transparency and makes it harder to prove that a drug isn't available to the public, a key step in applying for a compulsory licence. There are also concerns the deal could open the door to 'evergreening'—a tactic in which companies make minor changes to existing drugs and claim new patents. Indian law currently limits this practice under Section 3(d) of the Patents Act, but experts warn the FTA's emphasis on 'harmonisation' of IP standards with Western countries could override such protections. 'This is effectively a backdoor entry for TRIPS-plus provisions,' said K.M. Gopakumar, co-convenor of the Working Group. 'It would push India to grant unnecessary patents, prolonging monopolies and delaying cheaper alternatives.' The Indian pharmaceutical industry supplies more than 60% of global vaccines and a significant share of affordable generics to low- and middle-income countries. Critics say the FTA may limit this capacity and ultimately have consequences well beyond India's borders. Government response The Indian government has promoted the FTA as a landmark deal that will boost exports and attract UK investment in manufacturing, services, and digital trade. Officials insist that India has preserved its ability to protect public health. But rights groups remain unconvinced. 'You cannot negotiate away access to life-saving drugs in the name of free trade,' said Gargeya Telakapalli, a public health campaigner based in Hyderabad. 'The poorest Indians—those with cancer, HIV, diabetes, or TB—are being quietly sacrificed.' Broader implications The deal follows a similar agreement India signed last year with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which also faced criticism for diluting IP safeguards. Observers say the trend may reflect a shift in India's trade policy as it seeks closer ties with Western economies. But for many in India's healthcare and legal communities, the question remains: how much access to medicine is the country willing to give up for a better trade balance? From Westminster to Washington DC - our political experts are across all the latest key talking points. Listen to the latest episode below...
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Telegraph
Poor regulation causing hundreds of deaths from contaminated medicines globally, says WHO report
Weak regulation has allowed children's medicines like cough syrup and paracetamol to be laced with toxic industrial chemicals leading to hundreds of deaths, according to a report by the World Health Organization. Since 2022, at least 300 people – mainly children in Africa and Asia – have died from cough and paracetamol syrups containing diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol (EG): industrial chemicals that are used to make products like brake fluid and antifreeze. The chemicals – a cheap replacement for medicinal glycol – are toxic in even small amounts and cause acute kidney damage that often proves fatal. The WHO report, released jointly with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, said 'criminal networks' were exploiting 'market volatility and regulatory gaps' to introduce these and other toxins into the supply chain in order to make quick profits. 'Most of the recent cases involve inexpensive oral liquid medicines that can be bought without a prescription,' said the report. 'In most cases these medicines were marketed specifically for children and are … available in pharmacies, medicine stores or informal street markets.' In 2022, more than 150 children died in Indonesia from consuming locally produced cough syrups that had been laced with EG. The manufacturer had marked 60,000 bottles of the lethal medication with fake labels showing only safe ingredients, the report said. In the same year, at least 66 children, mostly under the age of two, died in the Gambia from acute kidney failure after consuming cough syrup containing DEG and EG, imported from India. The medicines were produced by the Indian manufacturer, Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which was later discovered to have breached numerous regulations. Two of the owners of the company received prison sentences, the report said. Over the last three years, at least five batches of lethal cough syrups have been traced back to Indian manufacturers from countries including Uzbekistan, Cameroon, and Iraq. Some were found to contain over 20 times the safe level of EG . Each contaminated medicine was produced by a different manufacturer, raising questions about the regulation of India's pharmaceutical industry. Overall, the World Health Organization said at least 1,300 people have died as a direct cause of ingesting contaminated medicines over the last 90 years, and thousands more have suffered 'life changing injuries' – mostly in the developing world. 'In many cases, contaminated medicines are the result of intentional criminal conduct. Addressing this threat requires coordinated efforts by ... law enforcement agencies, customs officials, prosecutors and anti-corruption bodies,' the report said.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Daily Mirror
UK supermarket issues 'do not eat' warning as it recalls curry ready meal
The supermarket has pulled some batches of its Indian takeaway for two because some packs have been mispacked Waitrose has recalled one of its own-brand curry ready meals as it could cause allergic reactions. The supermarket has pulled some batches of its Waitrose Indian Takeaway for two because some packs have been mispacked with spring rolls, which contain sesame and soya, and these allergens are not mentioned on the label. This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to sesame or soya. Allergy symptoms can range from skin reactions to the swelling of the lips or face, or vomiting and diarrhea. The pack size that has been recalled is 1412g and the use by date is July 25, 2025. If you have purchased this product, you can return it to your nearest Waitrose for a refund. You can also contact Waitrose customer support on 0800 188 884. In a recall notice published online, Waitrose said: "We are recalling Waitrose Indian Takeaway for two due to undeclared soya and sesame. We apologise that it has been necessary to recall this product and for the inconvenience caused." For all product recalls, you can check the Food Standards Agency and Chartered Trading Standards Institute websites. You should also notice recall notices in stores if they've pulled a product from shelves. It comes after Wall's recalled two products over fears they are contaminated by salmonella. Salmonella can cause fever, diarrhoea and abdominal cramps. The affected products are 113g packs of Wall's The Classic Scotch Egg with a use by date of July 2, and 226g packs of Wall's Two Classic Scotch Eggs, also with the same use by date. Meanwhile, Aldi recalled packs of its own-brand baby potatoes as they could pose a health risk to anyone with an allergy to dairy products. The supermarket revealed that certain batches of its Inspired Cuisine Baby Potatoes with Herbs and Butter contains milk which is not listed on its packaging. The potatoes that have been recalled by Aldi have a use by date up to and including July 1, 2025. The barcode is 4061463488152. Lidl also recently recalled batches of its fruit and nut bars over fears they could contain pieces of plastic. The supermarket has recalled Alesto Raw Fruit and Nut Bars in various flavours. The recall applies to all stock with a best before date of December 2025 with the batch code L24337, and best before date of November 2025 with the batch code L24316. Meanwhile, health foods brand Grape Tree has recalled its Raw Unsalted Macadamia Nuts because Shiga toxin-producing was found in one of its batches. The product that has been recalled has the batch code G41 5 101 250610 and a best before date of July 11, 2026. The pack size is 250g.
