Tuesday, March 17
New Delhi: Spiralling healthcare costs in India have caught the attention of political leaders. With an aim to address the ever increasing out of pocket medical expenses, Member of Parliament (MP) Ajeet Gopchade has introduced the National Medical Pricing and Regulation Commission bill, 2026 that-seeks to establish an independent National Medical Pricing and Regulation Commission which will be empowered to fix, regulate and oversee medical charges, ensure mandatory public disclosure of approved rates, adjudicate complaints related to overcharging and enforce compliance through penalties and refunds."I have, respectfully submitted-the National Medical Pricing and Regulation Commission Bill, 2026 to further advance fairness, transparency, and affordability in healthcare for our countrymen,"
New Delhi: A new study published in 'The Lancet Regional Health' says that glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), a laboratory test commonly used in India for detecting type-2 diabetes, may not accurately reflect blood glucose levels. This suggests that it could misrepresent the true burden of diabetes in the country.The problem is higher in regions with high prevalence of anemia, hemoglobinopathies and red blood cell enzyme (G6PD) deficiency, according to the study."Relying exclusively on HbA1c can result in misclassification of diabetes status," said professor Anoop Misra, corresponding author and chairman of Fortis C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes. "Some individuals may be diagnosed later than appropriate, while others could be misdiagnosed, which may affect timely diagnosis and management
