An intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) is a long-range ballistic missile system primarily designed for nuclear weapons delivery. They are powerful and destructive weapons, capable of travelling vast distances at incredibly high speeds.
Key features of ICBMs:
Range: Range greater than 5,500 kilometres with maximum ranges varying from 7,000 to 16,000 kilometres.
Speed: ICBMs can travel at speeds exceeding 20,000 kilometres per hour.
Payload: Typically designed to carry nuclear warheads, though they could potentially be used to deliver other types of weapons, such as chemical or biological weapons.
Deployment: ICBMs can be launched from silos underground, mobile launchers on land, or submarines at sea.
Countries having operational ICBMs: Russia, United States, China, France, India, United Kingdom, Israel and North Korea.
India’s ICBM:
Agni V is India’s solid-fuelled ICBM and has a strike range of 7,000-10,000 km.
Its next iteration is called Agni VI, which will also have an MIRV feature.
Multiple Independently-targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs) permit a missile to deliver multiple nuclear warheads to different targets, in contrast to a traditional missile which carries one warhead.
MIRVs missiles confuse anti-ballistic-missile protection systems by releasing multiple warheads, some of which may be dummies, with different targets.
Context: The government plans to implement satellite-based toll collection on highways before the Model Code of Conduct is enforced for the Lok Sabha elections 2024.
The technology has been under consideration for the past few years, however, the concept for the technology being used is not yet finalised and is still in various stages of development.
Major Highlights:
The satellite-based toll collection technology will allow barrier-free movement of vehicles and they will not be required to stop for toll payments.
Working Mechanism:
Onboard unit:
Every vehicle registering for the Global Navigation Satellite System of toll collection will be equipped with an on-board unit (OBU) that will be linked to a constellation of satellites via a GPS receiver.
The OBU transmits the vehicle's location and identification information to the toll collection system. The OBU will also be linked with a wallet from which the toll amount will be deducted.
Satellite tracking: Satellites track the movement of the vehicle and determine the distance travelled on tolled roads.
Toll calculation: The toll collection system calculates the toll based on the actual length of the highway traversed by the vehicle and the vehicle's class (E.g., car, truck).
Automatic payment: The toll amount is automatically deducted from the driver's prepaid account or linked credit card.
This will replace the radio frequency identification-based FASTag system that was rolled out in 2016 and made mandatory from January 2021.
A total of 8.13 crore FASTags have been issued and a penetration of 98% has been achieved, till date.
RFID technology:
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) refers to a wireless system comprising two components: tags and readers.
Reader is a device that has one or more antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals back from the RFID tag. Readers can be mobile so that they can be carried by hand, or they can be mounted on a post or overhead.
RFID Tag is embedded on the windscreens of the vehicles for transporters. It can store a range of information from one serial number to several pages of data. The tags use radio waves to communicate their identity and other information to nearby readers.
Context: For decades, oncologists have relied on chemotherapy, radiation and surgery to treat cancer patients. CAR T-cell therapy is among the most promising recent developments, especially because it has shown the ability to eradicate advanced leukemias and lymphomas.
In October 2023, India’s drug regulator Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation approved NexCAR19 as India's first indigenously-developed CAR-T cell therapy.
Now, a 64-year-old has become the first patient in the country to be free of cancer cells after being administered this therapy.
This paves the way for the commercial launch of the therapy in India, where it is expected to be available to cancer patients at a tenth of the cost abroad.
For now, ImmunoACT has received CDSCO approval for use in patients aged 15 years and older.
What is CAR-T cell therapy?
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a type of cell-based gene therapy which involves altering the genes inside T-cells to help them attack cancer cells.
T-cells are special cells (a type of white blood cells that find and fight illness and infection) whose primary function is cytotoxic, meaning it can kill other cells.
In the therapy, T-cells are harvested from the patient’s blood.
Researchers modify these cells in the laboratory so that they express specific proteins on their surface known as chimeric antigen receptors (CAR).
These cells are then grown and multiplied in the laboratory and then inserted back into the patient.
This genetic modification allows CAR T-cells to effectively bind to the cancer cells and destroy them — especially in blood cancers like leukaemia and lymphomas.
As CAR-T cells directly activate the patient’s immune system against cancer, it makes the treatment more clinically effective than surgery, Radiotherapy and Chemotherapy.
India is one of the first developing countries to have its indigenous CAR-T and gene therapy platform.
Advantages over other treatments:
Precision targeting: CAR-T cells are designed to specifically recognise and attack cancer cells. This specificity reduces damage to healthy cells/tissues, minimising side effects compared to conventional treatments like chemotherapy.
Long-lasting effect: The therapy directly activates the patient’s immune system against cancer cells, thus potentially providing long-term remission to patients.
Treatment for refractory cases: CAR-T cell therapy has shown promise in treating patients who have not responded to standard treatments or with cancer relapse.
Concerns:
Potential side effects are also significant, associated with:
Cytokine release syndrome (a widespread activation of the immune system and collateral damage to the body’s normal cells).
Neurological symptoms (severe confusion, seizures, and speech impairment).
The complexity of preparing CAR T-cells has been a major barrier to their use. Also, the therapy involves considerable cost (about Rs 40 lakh in India) and skilled technical and human resources for its administration.
About NexCAR19:
NexCar19 is a type of CAR-T and gene therapy developed indigenously in India by ImmunoACT, which is a company incubated at IIT Bombay.
The therapy is designed to target cancer cells that carry the CD19 protein. This protein acts like a flag on cancer cells, which allows CAR-T cells to recognise and attach themselves to the cancer cells and start the process of elimination.
The therapy is for people with B-cell lymphomas who did not respond to standard treatments like chemotherapy, leading to relapse or recurrence of the cancer.
Recovery typically occurs within two weeks after one cycle of the treatment. In our data, approximately 70% of patients respond to the treatment, with variations between leukaemia and lymphoma cases.
About 50% of these responsive patients achieve a complete response.
CAR-T therapy vs other treatments:
While chemotherapy and immunotherapy may add a few months or years to a cancer patient’s life, cell-and-gene therapy is designed to cure and provide lifelong benefit.
It makes treatment easier with a one-time therapy [unlike several sessions of chemotherapy] that can be truly transformative for a patient. It is a lifeline for non-responsive cancer patients.
Context: The Biden administration is currently in discussions regarding the deal for high-altitude drones that was initially announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Washington in 2023. The acquisition of MQ-9B drones is anticipated to significantly enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities of the Indian Armed Forces.
Furthermore, these drones are expected to work in conjunction with the U.S.-origin P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, further strengthening the Indian Navy’s surveillance capabilities over the Indian Ocean Region.
About Boeing P-8
The Boeing P-8 is a multi-mission aircraft designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW), and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. It is recognized as a globally significant platform with state-of-the-art sensors and proven weapons systems.
Variants of Boeing P-8
The P-8 has two variants:
P-8A Poseidon: used by the US Navy, UK's Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Norwegian Air Force.
P-8I: manufactured for the Indian Navy.
Other militaries using the P-8 include the Royal New Zealand Air Force, Republic of Korea Navy, and the German Navy.
P-8I for Indian Navy
The P-8I variant has replaced the ageing Soviet/Russian Tupolev Tu-142s in the Indian Navy.
Capabilities include anti-submarine warfare, ISR, patrolling, coastline defence, and other operations.
Operational at INS Hansa from January 2022.
Indo-China Border Standoff (2020-2021)
During the heightened tensions between India and China in eastern Ladakh in 2020 and 2021, the P-8I was deployed to monitor Chinese troop movements and activities in the region.
Technical Specifications of P-8I
It can fly as high as 41,000 feet.
It has a short transit time.
It is used for low altitude, humanitarian, and search and rescue missions.
Role in Indian Navy:
Plays a crucial role as the eyes of the Indian Navy, providing a significant edge in the strategically important Indian Ocean region.
Contributes to coastal patrolling, search-and-rescue, anti-piracy, and supporting other military operations.
Context: As per the computer-brain interface company Neuralink, the first human has received a brain chip implant and is recovering well.
How do neurons work?
Nerve cells or neurons are the basic functional units of the nervous system. Multiple interconnected neurons form a neural circuit and use electrical and chemical signals to quickly transmit information among themselves and throughout the body.
About Neuralink brain implant/chip
Rationale: Neuralink is working on linking the nervous system to computers, with efforts aimed at helping treat brain disorders, overcoming brain injuries, and other applications.
Aim: To give people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone or “just by thinking”. The initial users would be those who have lost use of their limbs.
Working of the brain chip
Implantation: The chip, roughly the size of a small coin, is implanted into the motor cortex of the brain through a minor surgical procedure via a robotic surgery. The chip consists of thin,flexible threads/wires containing electrodes which are inserted into specific brain regions, aiming to record neural activity.
Data Acquisition: The electrodes pick up electrical signals generated by neurons firing, translating brain activity into digital information. The chip processes this data, identifying patterns and translating them into meaningful actions.
Communication: The processed data is wirelessly transmitted to an external device (like a computer or phone) via a low-power transmitter.
Risks
This technology is still evolving, and its long-term impact on humans is unknown. Additionally, brain surgery has significant potential risks such as brain haemorrhage or seizures.
About Arogya Maitri Disaster Management Cube - BHISHM
It is a cube which will function as world's first portable hospital.
This cube is a part of the broader initiative named “Project BHISHM” – Bharat Health Initiative for Sahyog, Hita and Maitri to develop a world-class disaster hospital.
It is tailored to treat up to 200 casualties, emphasizing rapid response and comprehensive care.
It integrates Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics to facilitate effective coordination, real-time monitoring, and efficient management of medical services in the field.
The Aid Cube is equipped with several innovative tools such as a mini-ICU, an operation theatre, cooking station, food, water, a power generator, blood test equipment, an X-ray machine, and more, designed to enhance disaster response and medical support during emergencies.
The whole unit contains 72 easily transportable components that can be conveniently carried by hand, cycle, or even drone, providing unmatched flexibility.
In the face of mass casualty incidents (MCIs), where requirements range from basic aid to advanced medical and surgical care, the Aid Cube stands out with its ability to be deployed within 12 minutes.
These cubes are robust, waterproof, and light, designed for various configurations, making them ideal for diverse emergency scenarios. From airdrops to ground transportation, the cube can be rapidly deployed anywhere, ensuring immediate response capability.
Two such ‘Aarogya Maitri’ mother cubes combine to form a “brick” to complete the kit. The design of these cubes draws inspiration from the “Rubik’s Cube.
Context: The SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) mission has established Japan as the fifth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the moon. This milestone was achieved through the deployment of the robotic "Moon Sniper," which is designed for lunar exploration and surface testing. The SLIM Mission is labelled as Moon Sniper.
About SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon)
SLIM (Smart Lander for Investigating Moon) is a small-scale exploration of JAXA (Japan’s Space Agency) lander.
"SLIM" is a technology demonstrator, and the expertise gained in precision landing and other technologies will be inherited by future missions such as the Martian Moon eXploration (MMX) and lunar polar missions. It is designed for:
Pinpoint landings on the Moon's surface with a landing accuracy of less than 100 metres. SLIM Mission employs ‘Vision based navigation’ technology for its higher landing accuracy.
Reduction in the size and weight of equipment used in Moon landings which will result in more frequent lunar and planetary landings. SLIM Mission employs small, lightweight and high performance chemical propulsion systems and light-weight materials in designing systems such as computers to save on the weight.
Investigation into the Moon's origins through composition analysis of rocks estimated to be derived from the lunar mantle. There is a theory that the moon was formed by a giant impact. In this case, the composition of the moon's mantle, which makes up 90% of the moon, would be similar to that of Earth. SLIM Mission has selected the landing site close to the SHIOLI crater near the "Sea of Nectar" as the landing target site. Olivine mineral is expected to be present at the Shioli crater, expected to be ejected from Moon’s mantle.
Importance of Pinpoint Landing
SLIM Mission employs Vision Based Navigation System for ensuring enhanced landing accuracy.
Most conventional lunar landers land at a distance of several kilometres to tens of kilometres away from the planned landing site. Low landing accuracy.
Over the years, Moon rovers and landers have adequately mapped the surface of the moon. To take the researcher frontier forward, researchers now aim to study specific sites and rocks on the surface of the Moon. This will require pin-point landing.
For high-resolution lunar in-situ observation of individual rocks, it is necessary to land the spacecraft precisely.
Traversing steep slopes and rough terrain on the moon can be made less challenging with precision landing.
Locations with sustainable water resources are limited to a very narrow area on the Moon. To explore such areas precision landing is required.
Landing on sloped surfaces
Since the SLIM Mission plans to land at a site near a crater which has slope of 15 degrees. The SLIM mission will employ and demonstrate capabilities to land at sloped surfaces by employing a unique two-step landing technology.
The landing sequence of SLIM will be conducted as follows:
Benefits of SLIM Mission
Future solar science exploration will demand the level of navigation accuracy that JAXA is seeking through the SLIM mission.
As scientific knowledge builds on the study object, more specific research will be needed. Placing spacecraft with precision facilitates expertise.
Planetary science exploration will additionally call for highly capable equipment for observation.
Downsizing the exploration system can reinforce the instruments to be placed into a locale especially well-suited for its landing mission.
Context: Recently, the Federation of Indian Publishers as well as the Asian News International initiated copyright infringement claims against Open AI before the Delhi High Court for training the AI platform with the works of the publishers without their prior consent.
Relevance of the topic:
Mains: Concerns associated with expanding scope of Artificial Intelligence.
AI platforms employ a technology called Internet scraping by which Large Language Models (LLM) train the platform on all available knowledge. For training purposes, the platform accesses both copyrighted and non-copyrighted content. The copyright infringement cases are fought on subject matters such as literature, music, and photographs.
This has raised two important questions:
Should AI models be allowed to use copyrighted material for training?
Can a copyright be given to a content generated by AI?
Should AI models be allowed to use copyrighted material for training?
Arguments for:
Fair use: Limited copyrighted material use for training permission falls under the fair use doctrine, which allows the use of copyrighted material without permission.
Innovation: Large-scale training on various data, including copyrighted content, can lead to more advanced and beneficial AI models with wider applications.
Limited alternatives: Training datasets without copyrighted material might be limited and impractical, hindering AI development.
Arguments against:
Copyright infringement: Using copyrighted material without permission can be considered copyright infringement, even if for training purposes.
Lack of control: Copyright holders might lose control over their works if they are freely used for training AI models.
Unequal benefits: Large tech companies with access to vast datasets benefit more from this practice, potentially creating unfair competition.
In the Indian scenario, we still don't have any specific litigation in the context of text and data mining by AI. The Indian Copyright Act, 1957, grants exclusive rights to creators (authors, artists, etc.) over their original works for a specific duration. Using a copyrighted work (literary, artistic, musical, etc.) without the owner's permission, in a way that infringes their exclusive rights over it, constitutes copyright infringement.
Can a copyright be given to a content generated by AI?
In the Copyright Act of 1957 in India, there is no way a non-human can be granted copyright protection.
The Act currently recognizes only human authors for copyright protection.
AI, even advanced models, is not considered a legal author yet.
Way Forward:
The use of copyrighted materials for training purposes should generally be considered fair use.
At the same time, it should be ensured that if Open AI or anyone else is using copyrighted material for training, they do not seek copyright protection for the content generated by the AI concerned.
A diode is an electronic component that has two points of contact, or terminals, called its anode and cathode.
It is typically made from a semiconductor material, such as silicon or germanium. A diode’s primary purpose is to allow current to flow in only one direction. It achieves this using a p-n junction.
Semiconductors:
Semiconductors are materials that have electrical conductivity between that of a conductor (like copper) and an insulator (like rubber). A diode consists of two regions of semiconductor material: the p-type region and the n-type region.
P-type Semiconductor: A p-type semiconductor is a type of semiconductor material that has an excess of positive charge carriers (holes) and is created by introducing certain impurities into the semiconductor crystal.
N-type Semiconductor: An n-type semiconductor is a type of semiconductor material that has an excess of negative charge carriers (electrons) and is also created by introducing specific impurities into the semiconductor crystal.
P-N Junction: When a p-type and n-type semiconductor are joined, they form a special jone/ interface called the p-n junction.
At the p-n junction (depletion region) when a forward voltage is appliedacross the diode (positive voltage at the p-type and negative voltage at the n-type), the depletion region becomes thinner, allowing current to flow easily through the diode.
On the application of a suitable voltage across the diode, more electrons flow from the n-side to the p-side, implying an electric current flowing from the p-side to the n-side, that is from the anode terminal to the cathode terminal. But if the voltage is reversed, current won’t flow in the opposite direction.
What is an LED?
An LED is a diode that emits light. Inside the diode’s p-n junction, the electrons have more energy than the holes. When an electron meets and occupies a hole, it releases energy into its surroundings.
If the frequency of this energy is in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum, the diode will be seen to emit light. The overall phenomenon is called electroluminescence.
In LEDs, the energy emitted when an electron and a hole recombine is the energy of the band gap.
The colour of the light emitted by the LED depends on the energy bandgap of the semiconductor material used.
By carefully choosing the materials that make up the p-layer and the n-layer, researchers can engineer the composite p-n junction to have a band gap that corresponds to visible light.
LEDs can produce all three primary colours — red, green, and blue — different LEDs can be combined on a display board to produce a large variety of colours.
Scientists were able to create red and green LEDs more than 40 years before they created blue LEDs.
In the late 1980s, three Japanese researchers produced a bright blue LED with gallium nitride. For this feat they received the physics Nobel Prize in 2014.
Advantages of LEDs:
Energy Efficiency: LEDs are more efficient than incandescent bulbs and fluorescent lamps. They convert a higher percentage of electrical energy into light.
Per watt of power consumed, LEDs can produce up to 300 lumen (amount of visible light emitted per second) versus incandescent bulbs’ 16 lumen and fluorescent lamps’ 70 lumen.
Together with their greater durability and light contrast, LEDs’ lead to higher cost savings and less material waste.
Long Lifespan: LEDs have a much longer lifespan and durability compared to conventional bulbs. They can last up to 25 times longer, which means fewer replacements and reduced maintenance costs over time.
Instantaneous Lighting: LEDs light up instantly without any warm-up time. They reach their full brightness immediately, which is particularly useful in applications where quick and frequent switching is required.
Compact Size: LEDs are compact and can be made in very small sizes. This makes them versatile and allows for innovative lighting designs and applications where space is limited.
Applications:
Lighting: Residential lighting, Commercial lighting, Automotive Lighting, Dashboard and instrument panel lighting, Backlighting for LCD screens in smartphones, tablets, and laptops.
Electronic Displays: LED TVs and monitors, Digital billboards and signage, Information displays (public transportation, airports).
Traffic Signals and Signs: Pedestrian crossing signals, Road signs and signal boards.
Indicator Lights: Power indicators on electronic devices, Status indicators on appliances and equipment.
Medical Applications: Surgical lights, Phototherapy for medical treatments.
Horticultural Lighting: Grow lights for indoor farming and plant cultivation, Greenhouse lighting.
UV-C Disinfection: UV-C LED lights for disinfection and sterilisation purposes, Water and air purification systems.
Context: Central Government is set to roll-out human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for girls in the age group of 9-14 years. The roll-out of HPV vaccination is expected to reduce the incidence of cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer in women in India. India accounts for one-fifth of the global burden of cervical cancer, recording 1.25 lakh cases and 75,000 deaths each year.
HPV Vaccination Campaign:
The government plans to launch an HPV vaccination drive for girls aged 9-14 years to reduce cervical cancer rates.
This campaign will be carried out in three phases over three years.
The immunisation will be carried out through schools and existing immunization points.
The two-dose HPV vaccine, which will be free under the government's immunization program, protects against various cancers and genital warts caused by HPV.
This safe and effective vaccine can help prevent six HPV cancers. Five of these occur in women: vulvar, anal, vaginal, throat, and cervical. And other is penile cancer.
The campaign aims to immunize one-third of girls in the target age group each year, with an initial phase requiring 6.5-7 crore vaccine doses.
Currently, the two-dose HPV vaccine is commercially available for about Rs 2,000 per dose. However, once included in the immunization program it will be made available for free.
Production Capacity Increase for HPV Vaccine:
The Serum Institute of India (SII) is increasing its production capacity for Cervavac, a quadrivalent vaccine that protects against four HPV strains.
The current capacity of 2-3 million doses per year is expected to increase to 60-70 million doses
Cervavac is a quadrivalent vaccine developed to protect against certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).
Quadrivalent Vaccine: "Quadrivalent" means that the vaccine targets four different types of HPV. Specifically, Cervavac is designed to protect against HPV types 16, 18, 6, and 11.
Targeted HPV Types: HPV Types 16 and 18 are high-risk types that are responsible for the majority of cervical cancers, as well as other types of cancers like anal and oropharyngeal cancers.HPV Types 6 and 11 are low-risk types that commonly cause genital warts but are not typically associated with cancer.
Use and Effectiveness: Cervavac is primarily used to prevent cervical cancer, genital warts, and other HPV-related diseases. The vaccine is most effective when administered before individuals become sexually active, as it protects against HPV types that they have not yet been exposed to.
Administration: The vaccine is typically administered in a two-dose schedule for young adolescents, with the doses spaced several months apart. For older recipients or those with certain health conditions, a three-dose schedule might be recommended.
Development and Availability: Cervavac is developed by the Serum Institute of India (SII), one of the world's largest vaccine manufacturers. It represents a significant advancement in the global effort to combat cervical cancer, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where the burden of HPV-related diseases is highest and access to vaccines can be limited.
Importance in Public Health: By providing protection against key HPV types, Cervavac plays a critical role in reducing the incidence of cervical cancer and other HPV-related conditions. It is an important tool in public health strategies aimed at reducing the global burden of these diseases.
Single-Dose HPV Vaccine Trials:
National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG) has advised Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to trial single-dose HPV vaccine efficacy in ages 9-15.
While there is no global recommendation for a single-dose schedule, the WHO suggests it can be followed for public health programs. The ICMR is considering an antibody persistence study post-one dose instead of a Phase-3 trial.
Combination of Screening and Vaccination:
Scientists and health experts emphasize the importance of combining efficient screening programs with HPV vaccination to effectively tackle cervical cancer.
About Cervical cancer
It is a type of cancer that occurs in the cells of the cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina.
Types of Cervical Cancer:
Squamous cell carcinoma: This type begins in the thin, flat cells lining the outer part of the cervix and accounts for the majority of cervical cancers.
Adenocarcinoma: This type starts in the glandular cells that line the cervical canal.
Causes of Cervical Cancer:
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Infection: The primary risk factor for cervical cancer is a persistent infection with certain types of HPV/wart virus, a sexually transmitted virus.
Other factors can increase the risk, such as smoking, having a weakened immune system, long-term use of oral contraceptives, and having multiple sexual partners.
Who is Impacted Most: Cervical cancer most frequently affects women over 30 years of age. It's less common in developed countries due to widespread screening with Pap tests which can detect precancerous changes in the cervix.
Symptoms of Cervical Cancer:
Early stages often have no symptoms.
Advanced stages may include irregular bleeding and discharge, pelvic pain, and bleeding after menopause.
Treatment for Cervical Cancer:
Surgery: To remove early-stage cancers or precancerous cells.
Radiation Therapy: Often used along with chemotherapy for more advanced stages.
Chemotherapy: Used to treat advanced cervical cancer, often in combination with radiation.
Current Status of Cervical Cancer in India
Incidence and Mortality: Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in India, after breast cancer with age-specific incidence and mortality rates of 22 and 12.4 per 100,000 women per year, respectively.
Globally: As of now, it is fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, cervical cancer claims the lives of more than 3,00,000 women every year, or one life every two minutes.
9 out of 10 women dying of cervical cancer live in lower- and middle-income countries.
India: India accounts for 25% of all global deaths due to cervical cancer.
Survival Rates: The overall 5-year relative survival rate for cervical cancer in India is 46%. This rate varies significantly with the stage of cancer at diagnosis, dropping to 7.4% for advanced stage disease compared to 73.2% for localized cancer.
Challenges
Limited access to screening and treatment.
Lack of health care infrastructure.
Social and cultural barriers impact awareness and early detection.
Healthcare Disparities: Geographic disparities exist in healthcare access and quality. E.g. rural urban divide Current Global Statistics of Cervical Cancer
Incidence and Mortality: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, with 604,000 new cases and 342,000 deaths in 2020.
Geographical Variation: The highest rates of cervical cancer incidence and mortality are found in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, and South-East Asia.
Risk Factors: Persistent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause of cervical cancer. Women living with HIV are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer compared to those without HIV.
Strategies and Initiatives by WHO to tackle Cervical Cancer
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set goals, establishing targets of 90-70-90, to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer with a set of three targets to be met by 2030:
HPV Vaccination:
Vaccination against HPV, particularly targeting 90% girls aged 9–14 years before they become sexually active, is a key preventive measure. As of 2023, six HPV vaccines are available globally, protecting against high-risk HPV types 16 and 18, which cause most cervical cancers.
Cervical Screening and Treatment of Precancers:
Regular cervical cancer screening is recommended for 70% of women, every 5–10 years starting at age 30, and every 3 years for women living with HIV starting at age 25. The use of high-performance HPV tests for screening is encouraged.
Self-collection of samples for HPV testing is an option that has been shown to be as reliable as samples collected by healthcare providers.
Awareness and Access to Information and Services:
90% of women detected with cervical pre-cancer and cancer lesions must receive treatment and care.
Boosting public awareness and access to information and services are crucial for prevention and control of cervical cancer.
Other prevention steps include being a non-smoker, using contraceptives.
Human Papillomavirus (HPV) It is a group of more than 200 related viruses, of which more than 40 are spread through direct sexual contact. Among these, several are known to cause cervical cancer.
Types of HPV:
Low-risk HPVs: These types generally do not cause cancer but can cause skin warts on or around the genitals, anus, mouth, or throat.
High-risk HPVs: These types can lead to cancer. Two high-risk HPVs, types 16 and 18, are responsible for the majority of cervical cancers.
Transmission: HPV is primarily transmitted through intimate skin-to-skin contact, most often through sexual transmission. It's possible to contract HPV even when an infected person has no signs or symptoms.
Symptoms: Most people with HPV do not know they are infected and never develop symptoms or health problems from it. In some individuals, the virus can cause genital warts, which may appear weeks or months after sexual contact with an infected partner.
Health Risks: In women, high-risk HPV types can cause cervical cancer. These viruses can also lead to other genital cancers and throat cancer.
Prevention:HPV Vaccination: The best way to prevent HPV is through vaccination, which is recommended for preteens (both boys and girls) and for unvaccinated adults up to age 26.
Safe Sex Practices: Using contraceptive and limiting the number of sexual partners can reduce the risk of HPV.
Screening: Regular cervical cancer screening (Pap smear and HPV test) is recommended for women to detect precancerous changes in the cervix caused by HPV.
Context: The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare notified revised rules under Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1945
Reasons for revised rules
The country felt intense global scrutiny after the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an alert about cough syrups being contaminated with diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol which is fatal to humans.
Cases of alleged contamination have also been reported from cough syrups made in India.
Observations from ongoing risk-based inspections further emphasise the need for a relook at current Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regulations and quality management systems being followed by pharmaceutical manufacturers.
To bring our GMP recommendations on a par with global standards WHO’s Good Manufacturing Practices.
The amended Schedule M will help in greater acceptance and trust in exports of India’s pharmaceutical products across the globe.
Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act
Schedule M of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1945 provides Good Manufacturing Practices for pharmaceutical products.
Under the amendment, the words ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ has been replaced by ‘Good Manufacturing Practices and Requirements of Premises, Plant & Equipment for Pharmaceutical Products’.
These amendments to the Schedule M of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1945 will bring ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ being followed in India at par with the global standards, especially the ‘Good Manufacturing Practices’ laid down by the World Health Organisation.
Revised rules
The latest revision includes five new categories of drugs —
pharmaceutical products containing hazardous substances such as sex hormones, steroids (anabolic and androgenic),
Cytotoxic substances.
Biological products and
Radiopharmaceuticals.
It also has additional sections including —
Introduction of a pharmaceutical quality system (PQS),
Quality risk management (QRM),
Product quality review (PQR),
Qualification and validation of equipment.
computerised storage system for all drug products.
According to the new notification, the manufacturer must assume:
Responsibility for the quality of pharmaceutical products
To ensure that they are fit for use,
Comply with the requirements of the license,
Do not place patients at risk due to inadequate safety, quality, or efficacy.
The revised rules are set to be implemented on the basis of company turnovers.
Medium and small manufacturers with an annual turnover of less than Rs 250 crore have to implement the revised rules within 12 months from the date of publication,
Large manufacturers with an annual turnover of over Rs 250 crore will be given six months.
Significance
The revision aims to ensure that the pharma sector recommits to the manufacture of safe, effective, and high-quality drugs in compliance with international quality standards, thus benefiting both patients and industry.
This is a response to the backlash India has been receiving over reports of sub-standard medicine being exported from India.
WHO Good Manufacturing Practices
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) are also referred to as current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) is the aspect of quality assurance that ensures that medicinal products are consistently produced and controlled to the quality standards appropriate to their intended use and as required by product specifications.
WHO Good Manufacturing Practices is an integral basis of the WHO Certification Scheme of pharmaceutical products moving in international commerce and prequalification of vaccines for procurement by UN agencies.
Context: In a recently published paper by Raman Research Institute (RRI), an autonomous institute of the Department of science and Technology (DST), they confirmed the relevance of Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMP) by relaxing certain earlier assumptions and hence proved that theorizing dark matter from particle physics was possible.
Dark Matter
About 80% of the matter in the universe cannot be observed through telescopes due to instrument limitations. This is due to its weak interaction with the electromagnetic waves which are used by scientists to map the universe. Because of this particular reason this part of the universe is invisible to human eyes and termed as ‘Dark Matter’.
Despite being invisible, the presence of dark matter can be detected through its gravitational influence, evident in the orbital speed of stars around galaxies and the movements of clusters of galaxies. But this matter’s true nature and interaction with other matters remains undefined.
Cold Dark Matter (CDM)
Out of this dark matter, 25% is identified as cold dark matter.
This differentiation of dark matter is done on the basis of the mass of dark matter particles and they are categorised as "cold" or "hot."
According to the standard model for dark matter, Lower-mass particles are considered "warmer" and move faster and if particles are "cold," it means they move slowly compared to the speed of light and have higher mass.
To unravel this mystery, extensive research is ongoing. Many scientists believe that the discovery of new kinds of subatomic particles, fundamentally different from those composing ordinary matter, will lead to a resolution.
Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMP)
WIMPs represent one hypothesised class of particles to explain dark matter.
They neither absorb nor emit light and have weak interactions with other particles. However, when WIMPs encounter each other, they annihilate, producing gamma rays.
Such particles arises naturally in extensions of the standard model of particle physics and predict the correct energy density of the Cold Dark Matter for plausible range of interaction strength (WIMP miracle).
However, in spite of intensive searches and orders of magnitude improvement in the sensitivity of lab experiments (e.g. Xenon based experiments), WIMP has not yet been detected.
