AIIMS says commentary piece by researchers on e-cigarette ban doesn't represent its view
New Delhi, Aug 10 (PTI): The AIIMS on Sunday clarified that a commentary piece by two of its researchers advocating a relook at India's ban on e-cigarettes is the authors' views and does not represent the institute's stance on the issue.
"The AIIMS is in full support of the Government of India's ban on e-cigarettes under the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Act, 2019," it said in a statement.
As nicotine use among youth continues to rise as a potential threat in the country, AIIMS said that it strongly cautions against the deceptive advertisements of e-cigarettes under the garb of being a "safe alternative", particularly when it is being used in an unregulated or recreational setting.
In response to media reports referencing an opinion on Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS), commonly known as e-cigarettes, AIIMS reiterated its clear and long-standing position opposing any form of tobacco and nicotine use, including e-cigarettes.
The premier institute clarified that individual opinions and their conclusions are solely the responsibility of the respective principal investigators and research teams, and "do not represent the official stance or endorsement of AIIMS as an institution".
The institute reaffirms its commitment to rigorous scientific standards, emphasising that only studies reviewed and formally adopted by its expert committees or management are considered the AIIMS' official position.
The AIIMS consistently supports data-driven, evidence-based medical practice and policy and notes that any interpretation or unapproved communication should not be attributed to the institute as a whole, the statement said.
It further stated that AIIMS has issued warnings against promoting, or even casually accepting, ENDS and e-cigarettes, especially among the youth.
"The institute proudly stood in support of the Government of India's 2019 countrywide ban on ENDs, and will continue to stand for sound, scientific, and cautious public health policies," the statement said.
AIIMS Director Dr M Srinivas has unequivocally stated in his address that the Institute is completely opposed to e-cigarettes
He said, "AIIMS has always taken a clear stance against smoking and nicotine use, including e-cigarettes. We support prevention, regulation, and cessation, not replacement with unregulated alternatives." "Furthermore, official statements or policy communications are exclusively issued through designated AIIMS spokespersons or the administration.
"AIIMS is committed to transparency and will continue to clarify its position when media or other entities misattribute findings to the institute," he said.
The statement underlined that for authoritative information or clarification, one needs to refer to official notifications published on the AIIMS website or direct communication from authorised institutional representatives.
It said that through the activities of its Tobacco Cessation Clinic (TCC), one of the first of its kind in India, AIIMS has led tobacco cessation initiatives in India.
"The very existence and continuous working of this clinic speaks of AIIMS' unwavering dedication towards scaling down the burden of tobacco-related diseases in India," the statement added.
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Screenwriter Salim Khan on ventilator support and stable, say doctors
Mumbai (PTI): Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here.
The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which scripted films such as "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don" with Javed Akhtar, is in the ICU and recovery might take some time given his age.
"His blood pressure was high for which we treated him and we had to put him on a ventilator because we wanted to do certain investigations. Now the ventilator was put as a safeguard so that his situation doesn't get worse. So it is not that he is critical," Dr Jalil Parkar told reporters.
"We did the investigations that were required and today we have done a small procedure on him, I will not go into the details. The procedure done is called DSA (digital subtraction angiography). The procedure has been accomplished, he is fine and stable and shifted back to ICU. By tomorrow, we hope to get him off the ventilator. All in all, he is doing quite well," he added.
Asked whether he suffered a brain haemorrhage, the doctor said, "Unko thoda haemorrhage hua tha, which we’ve tackled. No surgery is required.
As concern over Khan's health mounted, his children, including superstar Salman Khan and Arbaaz Khan, daughter Alvira, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma, have been seen outside the hospital along with other well-wishers. His long-time partner Akhtar was also seen coming out of the hospital.
Khan, a household name in the 70s and 80s, turned 90 on November 24 last year. It was the day Dharmendra, the star of many of his films, including "Sholay", "Seeta aur Geeta" and "Yaadon Ki Baraat", passed away.
Hailing from an affluent family in Indore, Khan arrived in Mumbai in his 20s with dreams of stardom. He was good looking and confident he would make a mark in the industry as an actor. But that did not happen. And then, after struggling for close to a decade and getting confined to small roles in films, he changed lanes.
He worked as an assistant to Abrar Alvi and soon met Akhtar to form one of Hindi cinema's most formidable writing partnerships. They worked together on two dozen movies with most of them achieving blockbuster status.
Other than "Sholay", "Deewar" and "Don", Khan and Akhtar also penned "Trishul", "Zanjeer", "Seeta Aur Geeta", "Haathi Mere Saathi", "Yaadon Ki Baarat" and "Mr India".
