Health

Forensic DNA technology and the miasma of distrust

British colonial India significantly advanced forensic science, driven by a narrative of native deceit. Techniques like graphology and serological analysis were developed as judicial reliance on forensics grew, due to distrust in native testimonies. This legacy persists in India’s criminal justice system, often prioritizing technology over fundamental rights, as seen in recent DNA data bank legislation.

The dilemma of trying out new cures for malaria

The alarming rise of drug-resistant malaria in South-East Asia necessitates the development of new treatment regimes in India. Controlled human infection model (CHIM) studies could expedite this process but raise significant ethical concerns. A robust ethical and regulatory framework is essential to proceed with such studies.

Manufacturing drugs on demand

The intricate, global supply chains and specialized production processes in modern industry, poses challenges - especially in pharmaceutical manufacturing, where supply chain disruptions can be life-threatening. Recent developments in continuous, on-demand drug manufacturing, like MIT’s compact synthesis unit, offer revolutionary solutions but clash with current regulatory frameworks, necessitating regulatory adaptation to embrace these technological advancements.

The downside of gene editing

Chinese researcher He Jiankui’s use of CRISPR-Cas9 technology to edit a human embryo has sparked international condemnation. The editing, aimed at disabling a gene to increase resistance to diseases like AIDS, raises ethical concerns, risks unforeseen consequences, and highlights the need for a formal global treaty on gene editing.

The use of technology in providing healthcare

Ayushman Bharat, the world’s largest public health insurance program, aims to cover 500 million people in India. Its success depends on using technology to scale health services, monitor treatment, and ensure accountability. Despite challenges in digitizing healthcare, India has the opportunity to create a unified framework for medical data exchange, prioritizing patient rights, privacy, and cross-platform accessibility.

Genetic matchmaking can improve medical outcomes

Population bottlenecks increase susceptibility to genetic diseases like Tay-Sachs. To mitigate this, initiatives like Dor Yeshorem screen for recessive genes in high-risk communities. Similar genetic risks exist in India’s endogamous groups, indicating a need for widespread genetic analysis to improve medical outcomes and potentially integrate genetic compatibility into marriage decisions.

The lady with the lamp and data-driven medicine

Florence Nightingale’s contributions to medical science extended beyond nursing to include statistical analysis, leading to significant hospital reforms. Despite technological advancements, the medical profession still lags in adopting data technologies like AI. Regulations constraining data within national boundaries may hinder the development of these technologies.

A new direction for data privacy in healthcare

The draft Digital Information Security in Healthcare Act aims to regulate the use of digital health data, emphasizing patient consent and privacy. It allows anonymized data for public health research but restricts commercial use. However, its timing is questionable, as it precedes the anticipated overarching national data protection framework, potentially leading to inconsistencies in privacy regulations across sectors.

Does right to life include advance directives?

The Supreme Court has held that right to live with dignity includes within it the obligation to smoothen the process of dying for terminally ill patients who have no hope of recovery but has imposed too many bureaucratic processes on the exercise of that right.

Genetic diseases should be covered by insurance

The Delhi High court has held that rejecting an insurance claim on the grounds of the genetic conditions exclusion issued by the IRDAI would be violative of violative of Article 14 since discrimination on the basis of genetic heritage is unconstitutional.