July 15: Psoriasis is a very obscure and obstinate skin disease involves scaling dermatosis. The chronic disease frequently involves in elbows, knees, lumbosacral and scalp. There is no absolute treatment in any of the available systems of medicine and therefore, the need for an effective and safe treatment for the control of psoriasis is highly sought for. The coded drug `777-Oil' - a siddha preparation prepared by using the widely available herbs has been developed by the institute. The medicated oil has been found to be very highly effective for the safe treatment of psoriasis.

(Source: Cent Research Inst of Siddha, Madras)

Rescue and emergency care vehicle

The institute has developed a vehicle for transporting persons involved in any medical emergency (including cardiac emergency) normally encountered like multiple injuries, head injury, abdominal injury etc., to nearby hospital. The vehicle has been designed for easy manoeuvrability though rough terrains and narrow lanes in small towns. The vehicle is also suitable in urban areas as the specially designed stretcher will enable to bring a patient down the stairs in multi-storeyed buildings by one individual instead of four stretcher bearers. Facilities like power, water etc. and provision of all necessary medical equipment / stores have been provided in the design. with a built-in wireless communication system, the vehicle can provide service to an area within a radius of 10 kms from the nearby hospital. At present similar vehicles are being imported or received as gifts from other countries. But these are not suitable for Indian Conditions.

(Source: AIIMS, New Delhi)

Disposable blood bag system

Disposable blood bag system has been developed using non-toxic polymeric materials for collection, storage and transfusion of blood and blood components. At present the blood bags are mainly imported under OGL. These bags can successfully replace the bottles used at present due to advantages like non-contamination, easy transportation and elimination of losses due to breakages. The bags have been tested and found to meet international quality requirements. The manufacturing process broadly involves compounding, sheet & tube extrusion, welding, injection moulding, testing including animal trials. All the processing has to be carried out in a very sterile atmosphere / good manufacturing practice.

Market potential for the product is very encouraging. At a very conservative estimate the demand is about 10 million per annum. Approximate investments for setting up a unit with a production capacity of 2 million single bags per annum is about Rs 250 lakhs.

(Source: Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Science & Technology, Trivandrum)

For enquiries: National Research Development Corporation , `Anusandhan Vikas', 20-22, Zamroodpur Community Centre, Kailash Colony Extn, New Delhi - 110 048. Phone: 6417942, 6434265, 6432121. Fax: 011-6449401, 6460506. E-Mail: nrdc@x400.nicgw.nic.in

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