The researchers at Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) in Lucknow have recently found that certain leprosy drugs might help treat myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Clinical Researcher Sabyasachi Sanyal at CDRI in collaboration with clinical haematology department of King George’s Medical University screened FDA-approved drugs in chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) cells and found that […]
Image credits: IndiaTomorrow.net Its been nearly 13 years since India officially eliminated leprosy. India was officially declared ‘leprosy free’ in 2005 by bringing the Prevalence Rate below 1/10000 at the national level. However, official data states that the number of new leprosy cases detected during 2016-17 is 135485. Also, the prevalence rate of leprosy in […]
Mycobacterium indicus pranii(MIP) is the name of the organism which drives the world’s first leprosy vaccine. The vaccine was developed in India. Last week saw it being launched as a pilot project. And the ‘pranii’ in the name comes from the name Gursharan Prasad Talwar- who is widely considered as the father of immunology in […]
India is home to 60 percent of the world’s leprosy patients. But hidden cases are also very common in the subcontinent. The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has initiated a nationwide drive to detect such cases. These cases remain hidden because of the fear and stigma associated with the disease. In the first […]
The world gets it first exclusive vaccine for leprosy from India. The vaccine is to be piloted in five districts of Gujarat and Bihar in the coming weeks. This comes as part of India’s efforts to eradicate the disease which cripples 1.25 lakh people every year in the country. Around 60% of leprosy patients in […]