Mediwikileaks

Mental health in India has always been greatly stigmatized. We are extremely judgmental of people who say they are depressed and approach a psychiatrist for the same. We talk behind their back and generally brand them as 'mental case'. It wasn't until recently Deepika Padukone followed by a number of other celebs disclosed being depressed and having various mental ailments that to some level it seems that we have reached a stage where we can atleast have a conversation about it.  Recently the mental health care bill of 2013 was passed, that updated a lot of definitions of what constitutes mental health. It has been hailed by the general public as a step in the right direction. Here are some of the salient features of the bill that have really been appreciated by everyone.    1. First and most importantly, the mental health bill decriminalizes suicide. Viewed as a revolutionary move, the bill acknowledges the various mental factors contributing to a person w

In a latest in the fight against cancer, scientists from BARC have developed drugs to combat Cancer.                                                                BARC in Mumbai                                              Source - Homi Bhabha National Institute website They have done so with the help of the fruit  Rampatri plant or Gymnema Sylvestre as it is scientifically called. This fruit extract is used to create two anti cancer medicines which can help destroy tumors and help revive cells damaged in radiation. The scientist at Bhabha Atomic Research Center (BARC) based in Anushaktinagar, Mumbai did clinical trials on mices and found that they can help in healing lung cancer and Neuroblastoma, which is a very rare cancer found in children. The Rampatri plant (Image Source - Sakshipost) The BARC scientists hope to start human trials soon and also apply for patents. Hope this fruit extract indeed helps curb cancer and will be available in the Indian market soon.