Daily CURRENT AFFAIRS

NEWS

The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) recently published the draft Uniform Code for Medical Device Marketing Practices (UCMDMP)

DETAILS

DEFENITION

Health care professional

• Any person or entity that is authorized to provide healthcare services or items to patients, or is involved in the decision to purchase, prescribe, order, use or recommend a medical device in India
• Includes individual medical and healthcare practitioners, clinical establishments and pharmacies, and the administrative personnel at such establishments
• Excludes HCPs who are bona fide employees of the company, while acting in that capacity

Promotional material

Materials used by a medical devices company for the commercial promotion of its products and services either to an HCP or to a patient directly

AIM

• Voluntary code to regulate fair marketing practices by the medical device industry
• Giving the industry an identity, apart from influencing the marketing dynamics of the pharmaceutical industry

INDUSTRY-SPECIFIC FEATURES

• Done away with the restriction on the use of the word “new” for products that have been in the market for over a year, which is present under the UCPMP
• Medical devices must not be promoted prior to obtaining the requisite registrations and licenses for sale under the Medical Device Rules, 2017
• Promotional material should be in consonance with the documents submitted for obtaining these registrations and licenses, and the claims for usefulness must be consistent with the Directions for Use that accompany the device
• Prior consent from a competitor need not be obtained for using their brand name as long as the feature of the competitor’s product that is the subject of comparison is clearly specified within the advertisement
• Prohibits the direct or implied disparagement of competitor’s products, services or promotions
• Any discussion and substantiation in this regard shall be based on available and published evidence.
• Medical device representatives are expected to provide technical support to HCPs on the safe and effective use of the devices, which may include explaining the unique setting and technical control functions, making recommendations, or assisting the HCP in clinical/operating rooms to ensure that the appropriate range of devices and accessories are available for a procedure.
• Companies are expected to develop training sessions on the effective use of devices and their use in procedures, which will be a requirement for an HCP to get access to the product
• Permits medical devices companies to collaborate with HCPs for activities such as consulting services, clinical studies and research, participation in company-conducted training and continued medical education sessions
• Permits companies to fund only medical research and studies at approved institutions, the UCMDMP also permits companies to provide educational grants to medical training institutions to support their legitimate scientific, educational, and training programs
• Medical devices companies may provide modest items to HCPs such as product manuals, anatomical models, e-books, subscriptions to online portals that provide medical content, etc
• HCPs may occasionally also be provided with brand recall items having value less than one thousand rupees (Rs. 1000)

NEWS

4th Anniversary celebrations of Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres was recently observed

DETAILS

• The Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) were launched in 2018.
• Ayushman Bharat strives for Universal Health Coverage through the establishment of 150,000 Health and Wellness Centers (HWCs)
• AB-HWCs aim to provide free and quality healthcare closer to people’s locations.
• The primary objective of these AB-HWCs is to provide comprehensive primary health care, which ensures the highest possible level of health and well-being at all ages, through a set of preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative services.
• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) is converting many existing Sub Health Centres (SHCs), Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Urban PHCs (UPHCs) across the country into Ayushman Bharat – Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs)

NEWS

PM visited Vidya Samiksha Kendras in Gujarat

DETAILS

• Inaugurated in June 2021 in Gujarat
• Technological and infrastructural upgraded Command and Control Centre called CCC 2.0
• Surveillance system which tracks enrolment, attendance, learning outcomes, drop-outs, school accreditation and monitors schools, teachers and block and cluster resource centre co-ordinators
• Based on the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR) Framework
• Aimed at leveraging data and technology to improve learning outcomes
• Current centre has its roots in 2019
• Upgraded version of the state government’s realtime technology enabled surveillance system to “keep an eye” on over 1.95 lakh school teachers that was launched in Gujarat in 2019
• Monitors 55,000 primary and secondary government schools and hand holds 4 lakh teachers to help improve learning outcomes of nearly 1.2 crore students

 WHAT

• Multi-dimensional organisation investigating economic offences under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, Foreign Exchange Management Act and FERA.
• On May 1, 1956 an ‘Enforcement Unit’ was formed in the Department of Economic Affairs, for handling Exchange Control Laws violations under the Foreign Exchange Regulation Act (FERA). It was reframed as Enforcement Directorate

SOURCE OF POWER OF ED

• Prevention of Money Laundering Act was brought in for this exact reason in 2002, but was enacted only in 2005. The objective was to prevent parking of the money outside India and to trace out the layering and the trail of money
• As per PMLA , the ED got its power to investigate under Sections 48 (authorities under act) and 49 (appointment and powers of authorities and other officers)
• If money has been laundered abroad, the PMLA court (constituted as per the Act) has the right to send a letter of rogatory under Section 105 (reciprocal arrangements regarding processes) of the Code of Criminal Procedure

HOW DOES ED WORK

• Whenever any offence is registered by a local police station, which has generated proceeds of crime over and above ₹1 crore, the investigating police officer forwards the details to the ED
• Alternately, if the offence comes under the knowledge of the Central agency, they can then call for the First Information Report (FIR) or the chargesheet if it has been filed directly by police officials

WHAT DIFFERENTIATES THE PROBE BETWEEN THE LOCAL POLICE AND OFFICERS OF THE ED?

Consider the following scenario: If a theft has been committed in a nationalised bank, the local police station will first investigate the crime. If it is learnt that the founder of the bank took all the money and kept it in his house, without being spent or used, then the crime is only theft and the ED won’t interfere because the amount has already been seized. But if the amount which has been stolen is used after four years to purchase some properties, then the ill-gotten money is brought back in the market; or if the money is given to someone else to buy properties in different parts of the country, then there is ‘laundering’ of money and the ED will need to step in and look into the layering and attachment of properties to recover the money.

If jewellery costing ₹1 crore is stolen, police officers will investigate the theft. The ED, however, will attach assets of the accused to recover the amount of ₹1 crore.

OTHER ROLES & FUNCTIONS

• Carries out search (property) and seizure (money/documents) after it has decided that the money has been laundered, under Section 16 (power of survey) and Section 17 (search and seizure) of the PMLA
• Authorities will decide if arrest is needed as per Section 19 (power of arrest) based on search and seizure
• Can directly carry out search and seizure without calling the person for questioning. It is not necessary to summon the person first and then start with the search and seizure.
• If the person is arrested, the ED gets 60 days to file the prosecution complaint (chargesheet) as the punishment under PMLA doesn't go beyond seven years
• If no one is arrested and only the property is attached, then the prosecution complaint along with attachment order is to be submitted before the adjudicating authority within 60 days.

 NEWS

Data Security Council of India (DSCI) has prepared a report to ensure a safe and vibrant cyberspace for India focussing on areas like large scale digitisation of public services, State-level cyber security etc

WHY DOES INDIA NEED A CYBERSECURITY STRATEGY

As per American cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks’ 2021 report

• Maharashtra was the most targeted State in India — facing 42% of all ransomware attacks
• India is among the more economically profitable regions for hacker groups and hence these hackers ask Indian firms to pay a ransom, usually using cryptocurrencies, in order to regain access to the data
• One in four Indian organisations suffered a ransomware attack in 2021. Indian organisations witnessed a 218% increase in ransomware — higher than the global average of 21%.
• Software and services (26%), capital goods (14%) and the public sector (9%) were among the most targeted sectors

Increase in such attacks has brought to light the urgent need for strengthening India’s cybersecurity

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL CYBER SECURITY STRATEGY

Conceptualised by the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), the 22-page report focuses on 21 areas to ensure a safe, secure, trusted, resilient, and vibrant cyberspace for India.

The main sectors of focus of the report are:-

• Large scale digitisation of public services: There needs to be a focus on security in the early stages of design in all digitisation initiatives and for developing institutional capability for assessment, evaluation, certification, and rating of core devices.
• Supply chain security: There should be robust monitoring and mapping of the supply chain of the Integrated circuits (ICT) and electronics products. Product testing and certification needs to be scaled up, and the country’s semiconductor design capabilities must be leveraged globally.
• Critical information infrastructure protection: The supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) security should be integrated with enterprise security. A repository of vulnerabilities should also be maintained.
• Digital payments: There should be mapping and modelling of devices and platform deployed, transacting entities, payment flows, interfaces and data exchange as well as threat research and sharing of threat intelligence.
• State-level cyber security: State-level cybersecurity policies and guidelines for security architecture, operations, and governance need to be developed.

WHAT STEPS DOES THE REPORT SUGGEST

To implement cybersecurity in the above-listed focus areas, the report lists the following recommendations:

Budgetary provisions

• A minimum allocation of 0.25% of the annual budget, which can be raised up to 1% has been recommended to be set aside for cyber security
• Setting up a Fund of Funds for cybersecurity and to provide Central funding to States to build capabilities in the same field

Research, innovation, skill-building and technology development

• Investing in modernisation and digitisation of ICTs, setting up a short and long term agenda for cyber security via outcome-based programs and providing investments in deep-tech cyber security innovation.
• Furthermore, a national framework should be devised in collaboration with institutions like the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and ISEA (Information Security Education and Awareness) to provide global professional certifications in security
• Create a ‘cyber security services’ with cadre chosen from the Indian Engineering Services

Crisis management: For adequate preparation to handle crisis, the DSCI recommends holding cybersecurity drills which include real-life scenarios with their ramifications. In critical sectors, simulation exercises for cross-border scenarios must be held on an inter-country basis

Cyber insurance: Cyber insurance being a yet to be researched field, must have an actuarial science to address cybersecurity risks in business and technology scenarios as well as calculate threat exposures. The DSCI recommends developing cyber insurance products for critical information infrastructure and to quantify the risks involving them

Cyber diplomacy: Cyber diplomacy plays a huge role in shaping India’s global relations. To further better diplomacy, the government should promote brand India as a responsible player in cyber security and also create ‘cyber envoys’ for the key countries/regions.

Cybercrime investigation: With the increase in cybercrime across the world, the report recommends unburdening the judicial system by creating laws to resolve spamming and fake news. It also suggests charting a five-year roadmap factoring possible technology transformation, setting up exclusive courts to deal with cybercrimes and remove backlog of cybercrimes by increasing centres providing opinion related to digital evidence under section 79A of the IT act.

NEWS

Civil Aviation Ministry’s “UDAN” scheme selected for Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration

ABOUT THE AWARDS

• Instituted a scheme in 2006
• Acknowledge, recognize and reward the extraordinary and innovative work done by Districts/ Organizations of the Central and State Governments.
• Revamped with a new approach in 2021 with the objective to encourage Constructive Competition, Innovation, Replication and Institutionalisation of Best Practices
• Under this approach emphasis would be on good governance, qualitative achievement and last mile connectivity, rather than only on achievement of quantitative targets.

UDAN SCHEME

• Full form - Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN)
• Launched as a Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) under the Ministry of Civil Aviation in October 21 2016.

Objectives

• To develop the regional aviation market.
• To provide affordable, economically viable and profitable air travel on regional routes to the common man even in small towns.

Features

• Envisages providing connectivity to un-served and underserved airports of the country through the revival of existing air-strips and airports
• Operational for a period of 10 years
• Under-served airports are those which do not have more than one flight a day, while unserved airports are those where there are no operations.
• Financial incentives from the Centre, state governments and airport operators are extended to selected airlines to encourage operations from unserved and under-served airports, and keep airfares affordable.

NEWS

Every year, World Heritage Day is observed on 18 April

DETAILS

• Also known as the International Day for Monuments and Sites
• Celebrated International Council on Monuments and Sites
• Aim - promotion and conservation of the world’s cultural heritage
• 2022 Theme - “Heritage and Climate“

WORLD HERITAGE DAY IN INDIA

• The day is promoted in Indian culture as a day of awareness
• India has 40 sites throughout its vast territory
• Day of significance in the context of understanding the value of a sustainable future with the conservation of cultural heritage.
• With the latest edition of Dholavira and Ramappa Temple in 2021, the count of UNESCO World Heritage Sites has gone up from 38 to 40

• India (Riya Bhatia and Ankita Raina) wins Asia-Oceania Billie Jean King Cup women’s tennis tournament in Antalya, Turkey.