IITs Develop AI Tools for Early Cancer Detection: MammoX (Breast), Oral Swab Microscope, and Breath Analyzer (Kidney) Showcased at AI Impact Summit

India Gets First Disease-Modifying Alzheimer's Drug Leqembi After CDSCO Nod

Eisai's Leqembi (lecanemab), India's first disease-modifying therapy for early Alzheimer's, has been launched after CDSCO approval. This marks a shift from symptomatic to disease-modifying treatment, but challenges of early diagnosis, biomarker infrastructure, and affordability remain significant.

Proposed Patient Data Collective (PDC) Model for Rare Diseases in India Inspired by Amul Cooperative

A new proposal suggests creating a Patient Data Collective (PDC) for rare diseases in India, modeled on the Amul dairy cooperative. This collective would pool patient data to accelerate drug discovery and clinical trials, addressing the challenge of small patient populations for rare diseases.

SC Directs 19 States/UTs to Notify Cancer as Notifiable Disease for Early Detection; 17 States Already Complied

The Supreme Court has directed the 19 remaining states and Union Territories to declare cancer a 'notifiable disease' to ensure early detection and proper care, following a PIL that highlighted the failure of the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) which covers only 10% of the population. This is a crucial step for uniform cancer surveillance and aligns with the constitutional right to health under Article 21.

Narayana Health Reports Success in Haplo-Cord Transplant for Thalassaemia & Dual-Target CAR-T for Brain Cancer

Doctors at Narayana Health, West Bengal, have successfully treated a 7-year-old thalassaemia patient using a Haplo-cord transplant and a 62-year-old brain cancer patient with dual-target CAR T-cell therapy. These breakthroughs highlight India's growing capability in advanced cell-based therapies and are landmark achievements in treating previously challenging conditions.

Merck-Moderna's Personalised mRNA Cancer Vaccine Intismeran Reduces Melanoma Death Risk by 49%

A first-of-its-kind personalised mRNA cancer vaccine (intismeran), developed by Merck and Moderna, combined with Keytruda, has shown a 49% reduction in risk of death from melanoma recurrence and 59% from spread in Phase 3 trials. This marks a breakthrough for cancer vaccines but has limited impact in India due to low melanoma incidence and high cost of immunotherapy.

RK-251: India's ROS-Activated Smart Cancer Drug Could Transform Chemotherapy

RK-251 is a novel 'smart' cancer drug developed by Indian researchers that activates only inside cancer cells using high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, potentially reducing chemotherapy side effects. This marks a significant advancement in targeted cancer therapy and is a key topic for UPSC Science & Technology.

4 Student Suicides in 3 Weeks at IITs Prompt Call for Integrated Early-Warning System

Rising student suicides in IITs (four in three weeks) reveal that existing reactive counselling and wellness measures are insufficient. The article advocates an integrated early-warning system involving faculty, peers, and parents, along with flexible academic assessments to prevent distress from becoming irreversible. This is a key topic for social justice and governance sections in exams.

IIT Kharagpur Applies for MD, IIT Madras Plans MBBS: IITs, IISc Redefine Medical Education

India's premier engineering institutes (IITs, IISc) are entering medical education, signaling a paradigm shift under NEP 2020. IIT Kharagpur applied for MD (March 2026), IIT Madras plans MBBS, and IISc's Tata Medical School will offer MD-PhD from 2027. This convergence aims to create 'physician-scientists' and reduce medical device imports, but faces regulatory and capital challenges.