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  • Digital Story Telling Creates Moments of Happiness for People with Dementia
    Elly Park, Assistant Clinical Lecturer in Occupational Therapy, University of Alberta talks about the findings from a multi-site study into dementia and use of digital storytelling with memories I was sitting on the sofa across from Christine in her home. She offered me a cup of coffee. Each time I visited, she sat in the same spot — the place where she felt most comfortable and safe. She had shared stories from the past and decided to talk about the birth of her daughters, grandchildren…
  • ‘Decisions must be in the Best Interest of the Patient’
    Dr. M.R Rajagopal, Chairman, Pallium India, delves into the ethical dilemmas surrounding end-of-life decisions, the fundamental right to live with dignity and quality of life. Palliative care should be made available to every person who needs it. An interview with PatientsEngage. PE: The role of medicine is extension of life. So shouldn't all efforts be made to extend life of a patient under any and every circumstance? The primary function of a medical system is to help a person stay healthy…
  • Antibiotic Resistance, a threat to Healthcare
    Antibiotic resistance or Antimicrobial resistance(AMR) is emerging as a major threat the world over. With high prevalence of infectious disease and poor health care, India is the largest consumer of antibiotics. Dr. Camilla Rodrigues, Consultant Microbiologist & Chairperson Infection Control Committee, P.D. Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, gives us an overview of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance, a global concern, is particularly pressing in developing nations, including India, where…
  • FDA Clears Mobile App to Treat Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine Addiction
    In a milestone, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first-ever mobile medical app to help treat people with substance use disorders (SUDs). The Reset device is designed by Pear Therapeutics and is now cleared in the US to assist in outpatient therapy for alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, and stimulant addiction—although it is notably not permitted for treating opioid dependence. So just how does an app assist in addiction therapy? The Reset device is a mobile medical application…
  • Carriers of Optimism for the Deaf
    Mirakle Couriers is a National Award winning courier agency that employs low-income deaf adults. We speak to the founder Dhruv Lakra about his pioneering social-commercial enterprise. Your enterprise, Mirakle Couriers, is business with a social purpose of providing employment to deaf individuals. What led you to you start this venture? Mirakle Couriers was triggered by one particular incident I experienced while traveling on a bus in Mumbai. I was sitting next to a passenger who was anxiously…
  • FDA Grants First Clearance for Patients to Perform Solo Hemodialysis at Home
    The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted clearance to NxStage Medical’s System One hemodialysis device. Solo Home Hemodialysis The FDA expanded the indication for the NxStage Medical System One to include solo home hemodialysis. However, the patient must remain awake, reported medGadget. Physicians must prescribe the machine for patients to use the therapy at home. The System One is a portable device that can be placed in a room and used as directed by a physician. Risks are…
  • The Bold New Fight To End Suicides
    An estimated 2 lakh Indians take their life every year and not less than 25 times of this number attempt suicide. Akhileshwar Sahay, bipolar survivor and mental health leader, has embarked on an ambitious initiative, Zero Suicide Mission, to eliminate suicides from India. In this interview, he charts out the roadmap for his mission.    What is Zero Suicide Mission? Zero Suicide Mission seeks to eliminate suicides and suicide attempts from India.  It seeks to overturn the status…
  • "Listen Without Judging Or Advising"
    Sweta Tiwary is a Volunteer, Mentor and Trainer at Connecting NGO, a Pune-based organisation working for the cause of Suicide Prevention. She shares with us various facets of a person in distress and how friends and family can support him/her. Sweta, you are at the end of a toll free line – how many calls do you get daily on an average? What is the objective of a Helpline? The Helpline numbers (9922004305* and 9922001122) are operational from 12noon* to 8 pm everyday. During these 6 hours, we…
  • FDA Approves First Gene Therapy for Paediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
    The U.S. Food and Drug Administration made the first gene therapy - CAR-T Cell Therapy available in the United States, ushering in a new approach to the treatment of cancer and other serious and life-threatening diseases. The FDA approved Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) for certain pediatric and young adult patients with a form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). “We’re entering a new frontier in medical innovation with the ability to reprogram a patient’s own cells to attack a deadly cancer,”…