Ahimsa Times 2007 08 SrNo 86

Author(s): Ahimsa Times
Publisher: Ahimsa Times

Page 5

AHIMSA TIMES - AUGUST 2007 ISSUE - www.jainsamaj.org
Page 5 of 13
Vitamin K injection is a prime example. The injection, which is routinely administered to newborn babies to prevent haemorraghic disease of the newborn, used to be free of ingredients derived from animals but the formula was recently changed to include a substance derived from bovine bile, making it unsuitable for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, vegetarians and vegans, to name but a few.
Neither the change in composition nor the availability of any alternative was properly publicised and, as a result, many babies have been, and continue to be, injected with cow products without their parents' knowledge or consent. A plantbased alternative is available on a named patient basis but most health care staff seem to be unaware of this. (Admittedly, this product is currently supplied in a gelatine capsule, but the manufacturer has expressed willingness to change this.)
Gelatine is commonly encountered in medicines. Derived from animal collagen (mainly porcine and bovine), it is used in the preparation of pastes, pastilles, suppositories and capsule shells, immediately rendering these products unacceptable to many vegetarians. An intravenous infusion is also used as a plasma volume expander. In addition, some over-the-counter aspirin and antacid preparations contain lactose or non-plant stearates, used to enhance the production of the tablets. Often this is only mentioned in the small print on the leaflet within the packaging and some people find themselves unwittingly consuming substances that they would find unacceptable.
The pharmaceutical industry must highlight the presence of all animal ingredients as clearly as is required of the food industry. For example, medicines could be labeled "suitable for vegetarians". This would remove the need for people to read every ingredient in a medicine and to work out if it is of animal origin. "The Vegetarian Society" urges the medical profession to take into account vegetarians' beliefs as far as is practicable when prescribing medicines".
There is a great deal to be done. After two years of knocking on doors in the pharmaceutical industry, a breakthrough came when Mr. Sharma hosted a meeting between various stakeholders, including Hindu and Jain representatives and members of the procurement and pharmaceutical sectors of the health service. The meeting, in March, identified the enormous scale of the problem facing thousands of patients and health care workers every day, and the need for better information at every point in the chain between producer and consumer, including consultations with a health care professional and the dispensing and sale of medicines. As well as informing patients and customers, pharmacists could play a crucial role in informing procurers and other health care professionals. A further meeting, held in May, was attended by representatives from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, and drug companies, like Wyeth Research.
Industry representatives were concerned about the cost factors involved but also highlighted that substituting an animal ingredient could alter the potency of a formulation. However, as a result of the meeting, Richard Barker, director general of the ABPI, promised to highlight the issue at all levels of the industry. It was also agreed that pharmacists have a key role to play in helping industry to understand and meet the needs of patients in our modern, multicultural world. Courtesy : Mr. Atul Bafna, E-Mail : abafna@yahoo.com.
50-BED 'DHARMASHALA' INAUGURATED AT MAHAVIR CANCER SANSTHAN, PATNA PATNA: A dharmashala constructed by Mahavir Cancer Sansthan was inaugurated by Nizamuddin Saheb of Imarat Shariya on Wednesday. In his inaugural address, Nizamuddin lauded the efforts made by the Sansthan for providing medical facilities to cancer patients not only of the state, but also of adjoining states. Speaking on the occasion, administrator, Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts, Kishore Kunal said besides the Sansthan, Mahavir Temple Trust was also running several welfare hospitals and institutions which included Mahavir Arogya Sansthan and Mahavir Vatsalya Hospital. The hospital has the facility of only 300 indoor beds, he said, adding that the dharmashala at present has the facility to accommodate 50 patients and 25 out of them would get free treatment. Patients paying Rs 30 would get a room with all the facilities, he said and added that 25 more rooms would be completed by September. The dharmashala would have the capacity to accommodate 100 patients. BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha has donated Rs 25 lakh from his MP quota and soon another dharmashala having a capacity of 100 beds would be constructed.
NEW BOOKS RECEIVED 'I too have a right to live' (Hindi) by Scholarly saint Shri Surendra Muni, disciple of Up-Pravartak Shri Rajendra Muni (Swetambar Sthanakwasi Sect) with a message from Dr. Girija Vyas, Chair-person, National Commission for women,
http://jainsamaj.org/magazines/august2007.htm
8/11/2009