06 june 2020 : The Hindu Editorials Summary & Short Notes
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QUESTION: Do you think that creation of health impact fund would ensure the right incentives for the pharmaceutical innovators? Comment.
The Hindu Editorial Topic – A RIGHT TIME TO SHIFT PHARMA GEARS
GS-2 Mains
WHAT?
- Health Impact Fund (HIF) and Research and Development in pharmaceuticals.
WHY IN NEWS?
- Commercial pharmaceuticals research and development efforts are encouraged and rewarded through the earnings and Health Impact Fund(HIF) can become an alternative track for pharmaceutical innovators.
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN INDIA:
- This industry in India was valued at US $33 billion in 2017 and generic drugs account for 20% of global exports in terms of volume.
- Trying to make the country largest provider of generic medicines globally.
- The govt. started to encourage the growth of drug manufacturing by Indian companies in early 1960s, and with the Patents Act in 1970.
- In India, the profit-maximising monopoly price of a new medicine is much lower, but similarly unaffordable for most citizens.
- The cost of clinical trials needed to demonstrate safety and efficacy.
CURRENT SCENARIO OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR PHARMACEUTICALS:
- The current worth of global pharma market is Rs.110 lakh crore annually, i.e. 7% of the gross world product .
- Their Research and Devt. Efforts are encouraged and rewarded through the earnings.
- These earnings mostly depend on 20 year product patents as they are entitled for and such patents give a temporary monopoly and as a result they charge higher cost above manufacture and distribution costs.
CONCERNS WITH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:
There are 3 main concerns-
- Innovators motivated by the prospect of large mark-ups tend to neglect diseases suffered mainly by poor people, who can’t afford expansive medicines.
- The profit-maximising price of a new medicine tends to be quite high.
- Rewards for developing and then providing pharmaceutical products are poorly correlated with therapeutic value.
WHAT IS HEALTH IMPACT FUND?
- HIF is a proposed pay-for-performance mechanism that would provide a market based solution to problems concerning the devt. and distribution of medicines globally.
- HIF by coined by Yale Philosopher Thomas Pogge.
- To address the concerns, the HIF as an alternative track on which pharma. Innovators may choose to be rewarded.
- The fund would make an important difference by rewarding for health outcomes rather than sales.
- Such projects would address communicable diseases.
ISSUE OF STATE RISK:
- Participation of commercial pharmaceutical firms is crucial for tackling global pandemics .
- HIF registration would remove the risk.
- States would have no reason to interfere with innovators.
- At present such firms face discouraging business risks from govt. who may use compulsory licences to divest them.
WAY FORWARD:
- Innovators need new strategies to achieve health gains with their product.
- They must think about therapies and diagnostics together.
- There should be a reward mechanism towards health gains would lead to a sustainable research and marketing system.
TAKEAWAY(CONCLUSION):
- Developing effective product so as to help in reducing the overall disease and pharmaceutical innovators should be guided would get right incentives.
Short Notes
A RIGHT TIME TO SHIFT PHARMA GEARS
WHAT?
- Health Impact Fund (HIF) and Research and Development in pharmaceuticals.
WHY IN NEWS?
- Commercial pharmaceuticals research and development efforts are encouraged and rewarded through the earnings.
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY IN INDIA:
- Valued at US $33 billion in 2017 + generic drugs- 20% of global exports + largest provider of generic medicines globally.
- encourage the growth of drug manufacturing early 1960s, with the Patents Act in 1970.
- Profit-maximising monopoly of price + cost clinical trials needed.
CURRENT SCENARIO OF GLOBAL MARKET FOR PHARMACEUTICALS:
- The current worth of global pharma market is ideal + Research and Devt. Efforts encouragement.
- These earnings mostly depend on product patents.
CONCERNS WITH RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT:
There are 3 main concerns-
- Expansive medicines for poors therby can’t afford
- The profit-maximising price = quite high.
- No relation of therapuetic value with pharmaceutical products.
WHAT IS HEALTH IMPACT FUND?
- Pay-for-performance mechanism that would provide a market based solution globally + coined by Yale Philosopher Thomas Pogge + reward for health outcomes rather than sales + addresses communicable diseases.
ISSUE OF STATE RISK:
- Participation of commercial pharmaceutical firms + HIF registration = remove the risk.
- States not to interfere with innovators.
- Business risks of discouragement .
WAY FORWARD:
- Strategies to achieve health gains with their product + thinking about therapies and diagnostics + reward mechanism = sustainable research and marketing system.
TAKEAWAY(CONCLUSION):
- Reducing the overall disease + pharmaceutical innovators should be guided would get right incentives.
QUESTION: Discuss the impact of Global warming on the Himalayan ecology
GS-1 Mains
The Hindu Editorial Topic- WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2020: TIME FOR NATURE
WHAT?
- World Environment Day.
WHY IN NEWS?
- The World Environment Day is observed on 5th of June every year for encouraging worldwide awareness and action to protect our envt.
- This day has been celebrated since 1974 by engaging governments, businesses ,celebrities and citizens focusing their efforts.
- Indian Navy has also marked the day through various initiatives which are intended to reduce environmental footprint.
- India will be focusing on NAGAR VAN (Urban forests).
KEY POINTS:
- The theme is ‘Celebrating Biodiversity a concern that is both urgent and existential’.
- Almost 1 million species are facing extinction worldwide.
- This day will be hosted in Columbia in partnership with Germany.
CHALLENGES:
- Lack of appropriate tree planting spaces due to increased urbanisation.
- Lack of awareness among people.
- Invasive non-native plant species threatening urban forest ecosystem.
SOLUTIONS:
- The increased awareness about the urban forestry and management of the same would help to increase the urban forest cover with increasing urbanisation.
- New and innovative methods like that of the Japanese “Miyawaki” method of afforestation can be used to grow urban forests and expand the green cover in these areas.
IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY:
- Biodiversity is the variety and variability of life on earth. It is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species , and ecosystem level.
- Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health impacts if ecosystem services are no longer adequate to meet social needs.
- Changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods, income, local migration etc.
BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA:
- India has nearly 8% of the global biodiversity.
- 4 of the 35 global bio. Hotspots-
- HIMALAYA – including Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
- INDO-BURMA- entire north – eastern India, except Assam and Andaman group of islands.
- SUNDALANDS- Nicobar group of islands ( Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Philippines)
- WESTERN GHATS AND SRILANKA – entire w-ghats and sl.
WAY FORWARD:
- As per ‘State of India’ Envt. 2020 report, for the first time in the decade (2010-20) the top five global ecological risks in terms of likelihood are all environmental including extreme weather, climate action failure, natural disaster and biodiversity loss.
- Intact and preserved structures of the environmental ecosystem is the only way to maintain the resilience of nature.
- It is necessary to address the environmental issues like deforestation, increasing global warming, wastage and losses of food, pollution etc.
- Some important campaigns (Fridays for Future movement) can be initiated as GRETA THUNBERG , a Swedish environmental activist opened the eyes of whole world about crisis arising from climate change .
Short Notes
WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2020: TIME FOR NATURE
WHAT?
- World Environment Day.
WHY IN NEWS?
- The World Environment Day is observed on 5th of June every year + celebrated since 1974 + various initiative by Indian Navy + focuse on NAGAR VAN (Urban forests).
KEY POINTS:
- The theme is ‘Celebrating Biodiversity a concern that is urgent + Almost 1 million species = extinction worldwide.
CHALLENGES:
- Lack of appropriate tree planting spaces.
- Lack of awareness + Invasive non-native plant species threatening urban forest ecosystem.
SOLUTIONS:
- Increased awareness about the urban forestry and management + New and innovative methods like that of the Japanese “Miyawaki” method of afforestatioin.
IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY:
- Variety and variability of life on earth + Biodiversity = significant direct human health + Changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods, income, local migration etc.
BIODIVERSITY IN INDIA:
- Nearly 8% of the global biodiversity.
- 4 of the 35 global bio. Hotspots-
- HIMALAYA
- INDO-BURMA
- SUNDALANDS
- WESTERN GHATS AND SRILANKA
WAY FORWARD:
- Intact and preserved structures of the environmental ecosystem + Addressing issues like deforestation, increasing global warming , wastage and losses of food, pollution etc.+ Important campaigns initiation.
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