South Africa launches online authorization system for self-vaccination of livestock against foot-and-mouth disease

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) has revoked the registration of seven Ethics Committees overseeing clinical trials across India. This decision followed inspections that uncovered serious violations of regulatory norms.

Non-compliance with Rules and Standards

The regulator indicated that these committees did not comply with the New Drugs and Clinical Trials Rules (NDCT Rules), 2019, Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines, and other established conditions, which jeopardized their ability to perform their duties.

These measures affected Ethics Committees in Delhi, Pune, Navi Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Kolkata, whose function is to monitor and evaluate clinical research to ensure the protection of participants' rights, safety, and well-being.

Inspection and Revocation Process

CDSCO conducted inspections as part of an assessment of compliance with the NDCT Rules, 2019, and GCP guidelines, as well as quality management systems. During these checks, significant deficiencies and major regulatory non-conformities were found in the committees' operations.

According to the regulator's information, the revocation of registrations occurred only after the completion of a full regulatory process. This process included evaluating inspection reports, reviewing responses to requests for Corrective and Preventive Actions (CAPA), issuing directives requiring explanations, and conducting personal hearings where applicable.

Sanctioned Committees

Among the seven committees whose registrations were revoked are: Rational Independent Ethics Committee from New Delhi; Hurip Independent Bioethics Committee and Dr T K Pal Memorial Bio Ethics Committee from Kolkata; Ethiwell Ethics Committee and Ethos Ethics Committee from Navi Mumbai; Institutional Ethics Committee from Aatman Hospital in Ahmedabad; and Royal Pune Independent Ethics Committee from Pune.

The United States recorded a significant increase in measles cases in 2025 and 2026, surpassing the total accumulated over the previous twenty years. The disease, known for its high transmissibility and symptoms such as red spots, high fever, cough, and conjunctivitis, has no direct treatment for the virus; vaccination is the only effective preventive measure.

Measles Situation in the US

After being declared eliminated in 2000, outbreaks have recently occurred again. The previous record was 2,289 infections in 2025, but a survey released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on July 23 indicated that the US alone had already counted 2,318 cases this year. The sum of records from 2025 and 2026 exceeds the total number of cases reported between 2000 and 2024.

Due to these numbers, experts are planning a meeting in November to re-evaluate whether the country will lose its measles elimination status. One of the central causes for the progression of the disease is the reduction in American vaccination coverage. Vaccination began to decline during the COVID-19 pandemic and did not return to the necessary 95% to contain viral circulation. Of the 35 documented outbreaks in 2026, the vast majority, 93%, affected unvaccinated individuals or those without vaccination records.

Risks and Vulnerabilities

It is important to note that even among those who received one dose, there is a 5% probability of contracting the disease, although with less severe symptoms. Measles poses a greater risk to babies before the vaccination age and to people with compromised immune systems. In Brazil, the first dose is generally recommended at 12 months of age, and extra doses may be available in high-risk areas.

History and Situation in Brazil

Brazil obtained the measles elimination certificate in 2016 and maintained this status until 2017. However, the virus returned in 2018, resulting in the loss of certification, and during this period (2018 to 2022), more than 39 thousand cases were recorded. There was a sharp decrease after this interval, with the country reporting no cases in 2023 and only five in 2024. Thanks to this, Brazil recovered its elimination status in 2024, which has been maintained to date, with current cases being mostly isolated and linked to international travel.

In 2025, 38 cases were confirmed, 25 of which were associated with an outbreak in Tocantins, which began after the arrival of a family from Bolivia. The outbreaks observed in the US and other American nations reinforce the need to maintain high vaccination rates on the continent.

Vaccination and Complications

In Brazil, the vaccine used is the Triple Viral, which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella, and is provided free of charge by the SUS in two doses for people between 12 months and 29 years old. Adults aged 30 to 59 who are not properly immunized must also receive a dose. According to the Ministry of Health, the immunization rate with the first dose was 95.8% in 2024 and dropped to 92.9% in 2025.

Despite the situation in the US, the text clarifies that Brazil is not imminent to a new outbreak. Although cases may arise due to international travel, high vaccination coverage and rapid Brazilian epidemiological surveillance tend to prevent viral dissemination.

Serious Consequences of Measles

Measles complications are serious. On average, one in every thousand infected people develops acute encephalitis, a brain inflammation that can cause permanent sequelae. American data indicates that per thousand cases, one to three people die due to respiratory or neurological problems. Furthermore, rare and fatal diseases can appear years after infection, such as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), which can manifest seven to eleven years after primary infection, being more common in children infected before the age of two. It is estimated that about 2 in every 10,000 cases lead to SSPE, and this rate can rise to 1 in every 609 in infants.

Dr. Kirti Ramdani has reached a historic milestone by becoming the first African woman to qualify in both pediatric and plastic surgery. Despite her achievements, Ramdani emphasizes that her motivation was the desire to provide comprehensive care to children, rather than the pursuit of recognition.

Surgeon's Career and Achievements

At the age of 38, the surgeon, who works at Tigerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, recently completed exams in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery. Prior to this, she had already obtained pediatric surgeon qualifications through the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa (CMSA) in 2021.

Her success was recognized by the Smile Foundation, where she volunteers as a specialist helping children with congenital facial differences and other reconstructive problems. Ramdani shared that this moment was the result of many years of perseverance, self-sacrifice, and faith.

Philosophy of Treatment Approach

Ramdani explains that the combination of these two disciplines has shaped her approach to patient care. In her view, pediatric surgery taught her to view the child holistically, while plastic surgery provided the tools to restore not only appearance and function but also confidence, hope, and dignity. She believes that the boundary between these specialties exists more in educational programs than in the lives of the children they treat.

She recalls that a child with a cleft lip requires not just an operation, but years of coordinated surgical care, including reconstruction, development, function, and aesthetics.

Educational Path and Experience

Dr. Ramdani received her medical degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), after which she completed her internship at New Somerset Hospital in Cape Town. She then returned to KZN for community service and worked as a medical officer in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Grace Hospital from 2014 to 2017.

It was there that she gained extensive experience as a junior surgeon, including procedures for correcting cleft lip and palate, before obtaining a post-specialist qualification in pediatric surgery. In 2021, after registering for final pediatric surgery exams, she took on another highly competitive position in plastic, reconstructive, and aesthetic surgery at Tigerberg Hospital.

Motivation and Family Influence

Ramdani links her passion for surgery to a childhood experience involving her younger brother. She remembers wanting to be as helpful as the ENT specialist who helped them. Later, in medical college, she realized that while there was no cure for allergic rhinitis, there were methods for precise and rapid problem resolution, which sparked her love for surgery.

A special moment in her career was the first meeting with a mother seeing her child after cleft lip repair surgery in 2014. This moment left an indelible impression, as she saw hope and a future in the mother's eyes.

She describes reconstructive surgery as something simultaneously technical and artistic, requiring ingenuity and precision to achieve life-changing results.

Spiritual Beliefs and Support

She attributes her pursuit of two complex surgical disciplines to the idea that 'providence met hard work.' Ramdani notes that her spiritual aspirations are guided by the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda's principle that 'service to humanity is service to God.' Her parents, Sham and Shirley Ramdani, had a huge influence, teaching her resilience, honesty, and the importance of education.

Outside the operating room, she draws strength from her family. She is married to pediatric surgeon Shamaman Harilal, who practices in the private sector of Cape Town, and they have a daughter. Time with family helps her maintain balance and makes her a more compassionate surgeon.

Importance of Teamwork

Ramdani highly values the multidisciplinary teams that support children during difficult times. She emphasizes that help is provided through the strength, dynamism, and flexibility of such teams, which include nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists, psychologists, pediatricians, surgeons of various specialties, and other specialists.

As a member of the Smile Foundation, she says the organization continues to change lives by making specialized surgery accessible to children who might otherwise not receive it. She hopes her journey will inspire the younger generation of doctors, showing that origin does not determine potential, and calling for Africa to lead in innovation and compassion.