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A vaccine against the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), for which there are presently no authorized shots, showed promising results in elderly patients on Thursday, according to pharmaceutical behemoth Pfizer. The virus can cause pneumonia in elderly people and causes bronchiolitis, a respiratory condition that primarily affects newborns. RSV infection causes more than 177,000 older patients to be hospitalised each year in the US, and 14,000 of them eventually die, according to US health authorities. In an ongoing clinical trial, the vaccine is being evaluated on individuals 60 years of age and older. A preliminary investigation revealed that it was roughly 85% successful in averting severe cases, or those with three or more symptoms. In the upcoming months, Pfizer said it intends to submit applications for the vaccine to the US Food and Drug Administration and other regulatory bodies. “Scientists and researchers have worked to develop RSV vaccines with little success for over half a century. These findings are an important step in our effort to help protect against RSV disease,” Pfizer’s chief scientific officer, Annaliesa Anderson, who oversees vaccine development, stated in a statement. The company reported that the vaccination was well received and that there were no safety issues. They added that they would submit the findings for publication in a scientific journal. Out of the anticipated 40,000 participants, around 37,000 have already been enrolled in the clinical trial. The vaccine, which targets two strains of the virus, is given to half of them, while the other half receives a placebo. In addition to Moderna, other companies are striving to create an RSV vaccine.

The maker of the Dolo 650, Micro Labs, claims that it spent a pittance on the brand’s marketing and promotion, spending less than Rs 10 crore annually. Micro Labs is the subject of a controversy over allegations of unethical business practises. The Bangalore-based company was under scrutiny last week during a hearing in another case brought by the Federation of Medical and Sales Representatives Association before the Supreme Court. The corporation is accused of giving doctors freebies worth over Rs 1,000 crore. During the pandemic, the Rs 2 pill became well-known for providing pain and fever relief. Its sales for the fiscal year that ended in March this year totalled Rs 362 crore, an increase of over 30%. “Dolo 650 is a mega brand due to first-mover advantage, its quality, availability and reach across the country. It is a mass brand and an established market leader with 50% share, even before Covid,” said Dilip Surana, the CMD of Micro Labs. The offices of the Rs 4,500 crore Micro Labs were raided and the premises searched by the tax department last month on suspicion of tax evasion. In total, the company has spent Rs 1000 crore on marketing for all of its products, not just Dolo 650. “On the pain relief pill alone, the marketing expenditure has typically been 4-5% of its annual turnover of Rs 200-250 crore,” said Executive VP (Marketing) Jayaraj Govindaraju. He said that the basic promotions (to doctors) during Covid were of low value and comprised handing out free (Dolo) samples, brand reminders, masks & sanitizers, and scientific dissemination through conferences on fever.

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has developed a new in-house website called readable.com to help youngsters who have been diagnosed with dyslexia read, write, and learn normally. The child neurology department has established an online portal for children with dyslexia, a neurological condition that impacts learning, including oral and written language and makes it challenging to comprehend or read words and/or numbers. “This website will help them read, write and learn like normal children. It is also going to help parents of dyslexic children. Once the parents get familiarised with the app or website, they can teach their children to overcome difficulties in reading and writing,” said Dr Shefali Gulati, professor, department of child neurology. AIIMS has done a research on 44 children who had undergone functional magnetic resonance imaging (F-MRI) while utilising the app before launching the website. The findings indicated that most of the children learned languages and vocabulary just like other children of their own age. According to Gulati, the app’s eight modules, which are creatively presented and cover various language-learning topics, will enable children use artificial intelligence to read, write, and explain things like other children. The app was developed with assistance from IIT-Delhi. This app was a result of a previous partnership between AIIMS and IIT-Delhi to create programmes focused on innovation and rehabilitation. Despite the fact that there is no cure for dyslexia, early diagnosis and treatment can boost children’s reading and writing skills. Before a child starts school, it can be challenging to identify dyslexia symptoms, but there are several warning signs that may point to the condition. Experts claim that some genes that have an impact on how the brain processes language and reading have been linked to dyslexia. These genes also tend to run in families. While most children can read by kindergarten or first grade, dyslexic children usually struggle to understand the fundamentals of reading by that point. Reading problems from childhood persist into adulthood when dyslexia is left undiagnosed and untreated.