Carethics

One sees the increase in health care knowledge and technology, yet health care is not accessible to those who most need it. Increasing the accessibility to health care especially in developing countries like India means increasing the affordability to health care and increasing affordability can come only with innovation: innovation of drugs, technology, business models, strategies, practices and policies.

Biocon is one such company that has kept “affordable innovation” as its motto right from the beginning. As per the source, Biocon has adopted the strategy of forming symbiotic partnerships with companies around the world to create and deliver value. They believe that such research and marketing partnerships help share risks, costs and also complement to fill the other’s gap, which in turn speeds up the pace of development.

For example, Biocon has partnered with the Centre for Molecular Immunology (CIM) in Cuba, to develop products for the head and neck cancers, since millions in India, especially in the poorer sections suffer from such cancers due to tobacco consumption. Affordability of the product, due to such partnerships helped benefit thousands, who otherwise would not have been able to afford and hence access the medication.

Thus, to ensure health care for all , such innovative practices and collaborations should be pursued more aggressively by the all the health care service providers, especially in developing countries like India, where drugs for malaria, tuberculosis and AIDS are yet inaccessible to all.

Where there is a lack of quality information online for the health care of the elderly in India, Caring.com, a San Mateo-based start up is a worthy example.

As per the source, founded in 2007, Caring.com focuses on ‘eldercare’ related information such as healthcare, financial, legal and housing for the elderly. Two of the company’s three co founders are from Baby Centre, a Johnson & Johnson subsidiary.

In fact, Caring.com had raised $6 million in its first round of funding led by DCM and Split Rock Partners and has raised $10 million in a second round of funding led by Shasta Ventures. The site’s traffic growth and ad performance – display ads and sponsorships, were a great attraction for the investments.

Such platforms can serve as great means to provide valued, quality and aggregated information to users and can look at long term prospects of growth and self sustainence through ad revenues.

However , one does see a few such health care initiatives in India too such as www.bolohealth.com and hopes that this visionary initiative meets as much success as Caring.com.

India might see a paradigm shift in the way cancer is treated here with the introduction of John R. Adler’s machine CyberKnife. Cyerknife is a robotic radiosurgery system that can treat tumours in any part of the body and each machine costs Rs 30 crore.

As per livemint.com, recently CyberKnife was installed at Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd. (HCG) in Bangalore and at Apollo Speciality Cancer Hospital in Chennai, the only two machines in south Asia according to the Indian owners. The device delivers precise radiation doses thus avoiding healthy tissues and uses real time image guidance technology for the same. It is also proposed that the machine is safe and has reduced side effects as compared to other existing treatments.

The treatment costs Rs 4-5 lakhs, as compared to Rs 50,000-Rs1.5 lakhs for a standard radiation therapy. However, Adler argues that one should look at the quality aspects too. A six-seven week radiation therapy is reduced to a five-six day out-patient procedure and there are fewer side effects. Besides as volumes grow, costs will come down and health care service providers can adopt different business models to offer the technology to their patients.

After covering 46 countries, Wrigley launched the ‘Wrigley Oral Healthcare Program’ in India. The program aims to help the dental professionals with information and resources required to encourage among their patients: oral-care routine. The program will incorporate the Indian consumer lifestyles and eating patterns, while supporting the independent clinical research in preventive dentistry, designing education programs, conferences and framing brochures and other reading literature.

According to the source, on the occasion of World Oral Health Day, Orbit sugar-free chewing gum, in collaboration with Indian Dental Association (IDA), partnered with 60 dentists in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru for conducting free oral check-ups. Also, people were offered Orbit as a preventive measure for tooth decay. In fact, according to Wrigley’s clinical research chewing a sugar-free gum like Orbit can reduce tooth decay by 40%. On the same day, phone lines at Radio Mirchi were made open for free dental consultancy.

The program will also leverage on the digital media to cultivate the importance of oral health and educate the consumers on the same. WOHP is also looking to soon launch a website www.wohp.co.in for the same!

Increasing lifestyle based problems, stressful work environments, and rising junk food intakes have spurred a number of health related problems: obesity, increasing cholesterol levels, deteriorating heart conditions et al. However, consumers have started getting health conscious as never before, adopting the new mantra of ‘Don’t shed pounds, shed the habits which increase the pounds’. Changing consumer behavior and holistic approach towards lifestyle has given great momentum to the wellness industry in India. Be it health based foods, exercising or living a right lifestyle, consumers want to undo all the wrong habits.

Consumers are taking on to the preventive health care route. Even the companies are laying stress on ergonomics for their employees.

The number of gyms, yoga centres, aerobic and fitness centres has risen significantly. Even these lay stress on lifestyle mangement rather than just weight loss.

Spas, ayurvedic massage centres, aromatherapy centres, et al aim to rejuvinate and relaxe their clients.

Concept of ‘Health Resorts’ and ‘Wellness Holidays’ is also gaining popularity.

There is also a spurge in the natural, ayurvedic and herbal products category. A plethora of options are available to the consumers today: The Body Shop, Forest Essentials, Khadi, Himalaya, Nyassa, Birla Veda, Dabur, et al.

Be it FMCG companies, pharmas or food product companies all are looking forward to bring forth to the consumers, health based products.

Health drinks, edible oils good for the heart, chips with less trans fat, pure juices, et al have made spaces on the shelves and will continue to do so.

After all ‘being fit’ is in!

Our age old visa norms & regulations is making a dent in the rapidly growing medical tourism sector. Our laws regarding visa processing for medical tourists are too stringent for the Indian healthcare industry to compete with its competitors, reports Mint. It says India’s biggest rival in this space i.e. Thailand has much faster processing method which help them provide medical visas in just three hours, whereas here it takes 10 days to get the same visa. & over above once medical tourists are here, Bureau of Immigration (govt body that overlooks immigration & registration) asks them to register themselves within 14 days of arrival.
Hospitals want the visa process to be more customer friendly, they are even looking at opening counters at the Airports if allowed….much like tourism industry. No wonder in the near future they come out with shops, counters….

CII-Mckinsey report estimates that medical tourism generated $333 million in revenues with 1,00, 000 such patients in 2005, and it predicts the industry will grow to $2 billion by 2012.