Will increasing the custom duty on medical devices promote indigenous production?

Will increasing the custom duty on medical devices promote indigenous production?

Dr KK Aggarwal, Padma Shri Awardee

At the recent 4th WHO Global Forum on Medical Devices “Increasing access to medical devices” held in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh from Dec. 13-15, the Central government proposed increasing the custom duty on medical devices by 15-20% to promote indigenous manufacture of medical devices.

India is the fourth largest market in Asia after Japan, China and South Korea. It imports 80% of medical electronics, hospital equipment, surgical instruments, implants, diagnostic reagents….read more


Mindfulness training may help check the obesity epidemic

Dr KK Aggarwal, Padma Shri Awardee

Mindfulness training may improve the effectiveness of intensive weight management programs, according to a small study published Dec. 18, 2018 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Researchers from the University of Warwick and the Warwickshire Institute for the Study of Diabetes Endocrinology and Metabolism at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust found that individuals who participated in mindfulness training (four courses) as part of an intensive weight management program, lost more weight in six months (3 Kg on average) than other program participants who did not attend mindfulness courses….read more