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On May 20th, we celebrate International Clinical Trials Day. On this occasion, the organizers of the "Patients of Tomorrow – Health Has a Future in Clinical Trials" campaign emphasize the key role that clinical trials play in the development of medicine. It is thanks to clinical trials that doctors can offer innovative treatments, and patients gain access to advanced therapies tailored to their individual needs and current medical conditions. Currently, over 300 clinical trials are open for recruitment in the Czech Republic, with another 55 expected to launch soon.[1] This is a real opportunity for a healthier tomorrow – for both patients and the healthcare system.

Awareness of clinical trials – the first step to breaking barriers

Although clinical trials are an integral part of medical progress, they are still relatively unknown in the Czech Republic. According to a 2024 public opinion survey commissioned by Pratia – an international network of clinical research sites – only 18% of Czechs rate their knowledge of clinical trials as high, while 42% describe it as low or very low. Nevertheless, nearly half of respondents view clinical trials positively and see them as a chance for treating complex medical conditions.

Importantly, the more knowledge people have, the more positively they view clinical trials. This highlights how essential education and reliable information are when it comes to understanding what clinical trials are and the benefits they offer.

Facts vs. myths – addressing the most common concerns

The main motivation for patients to participate in clinical trials is access to innovative therapies (75%), although myths about clinical trials are still widespread. A lack of information often leads to uncertainty and fear – as many as 57% of Czechs worry that clinical trials involve treatments that have not been adequately tested. Before any drug reaches a patient, it undergoes rigorous laboratory and preclinical testing. Every clinical trial must receive approval from both international and national regulatory bodies (including SÚKL in the Czech Republic), as well as bioethics committees. Before receiving a trial drug, every patient undergoes thorough diagnostic evaluations and consultations with their physician.

Professor Wojciech Jurczak, MD, PhD, from the National Institute of Oncology in Kraków, Poland, emphasizes that clinical trials are a real opportunity to improve patients’ quality of life – both now and in the future:

· “Clinical trials in medicine create a very specific situation – one in which there are only winners. Patients win because they are treated using the best and latest medical technologies. Doctors win because they gain experience and can feel they are at the forefront of global medicine.”

Real stories – trials that change lives

One of the participants in a clinical trial is Ms. Lenka, a patient suffering from chronic migraines. Thanks to a new therapy, her everyday life has changed dramatically:

“My tasks included regular check-ups, taking medication, and recording my health status and well-being using a home electronic device. Before, I would just sit or lie at home, waiting for the pain to come back. And now? I can go to the cinema, have a beer – and everything’s fine. No pain. No, it wasn’t hard – not at all. I just wanted to solve the problem, so I acted – and it worked.”

Patients of Tomorrow – building a better future together

The "Patients of Tomorrow" campaign, organized by Pratia, is an initiative that connects the world of innovative medicine with the real needs of patients and healthcare professionals. The project aims to educate, build trust, and increase access to new therapeutic methods.

The campaign’s heros are real patients – individuals who have benefited from participating in clinical trials. They share their stories and show that taking part in a study is not only a chance to improve their own health, but also a contribution to the advancement of medicine.

· “The trial changed my life. It changed it so much that I could return to normal, real life, where I can laugh again, smile, talk not only with my family but also with friends, and enjoy life once more. After decades of pain, I had forgotten what that felt like. I never believed such a miracle could happen – but it did. And now I’m here again. I truly believe this clinical trial gave me back the life I once had as a young man,” says Mr. Evžen.

· “Everyone here – the doctor, the nurses – knows I always come in and tell them how great I feel. They adjust my treatment, and I walk out. The trial completely changed my life – the nausea and headaches disappeared. I’m a Patient of Tomorrow because this treatment brought me tremendous benefits,” adds Ms. Lenka.

These stories are the best proof that tomorrow is already happening today.

Where can you access new therapies?

In the Czech Republic, Pratia conducts clinical trials in three cities: Prague, Brno, and Pardubice. The studies focus on various chronic conditions, such as migraine, psoriasis, osteoarthritis of the knee, atopic dermatitis and many more.

More information about the campaign and opportunities to participate in clinical trials can be found on the official campaign website.

[1] www.liclinicaltrials.gov

In the realm of digital payments, India has witnessed a monumental shift, spearheaded by the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). As of December 2023, UPI recorded a staggering 857 million transactions in the current financial year, a testament to its dominant role in India's digital payment landscape, commanding an impressive 62% market share in FY 2022-23. This surge in UPI transactions is a clear indicator of the country's move towards a digitalized economy.

The growth trajectory of UPI is nothing short of remarkable. Starting with a modest base in the financial year (FY) 2017-18, UPI transactions stood at 9.2 million. This initial figure, though significant for its time, was just a glimpse of the potential of UPI. Over the next five years, these transactions witnessed an extraordinary increase, culminating in 837.5 million transactions by FY 2022-23.

This rapid growth represents a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 147%, a rate that signifies not just growth but a seismic shift in consumer behavior and technology adoption.

The remarkable aspect of this growth is not just in the number of transactions but also in their monetary value. In FY 2017-18, the total value of UPI transactions was USD 12 billion, a noteworthy figure for a nascent technology at that time. However, by FY 2022-23, this value had escalated to an astonishing USD 1671 billion. The CAGR of 168% in value terms is even more impressive than the transaction count, indicating that UPI is not only being used more frequently but also for higher-value transactions.

Behind this digital revolution are concerted efforts by the Indian government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Government initiatives have been crucial, including incentive schemes for RuPay Debit cards and BHIM UPI transactions, advisories for improving payment infrastructure, the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyaan (PMGDISHA) for enhancing digital literacy in rural areas, and setting targets for digital transactions and merchant acquisitions for banks.

The RBI has complemented these efforts with awareness programs like Electronic Banking Awareness and Training (e-BAAT), Digital Payments Awareness Week. The RBI's multimedia campaigns, particularly 'RBI Says' or 'RBI Kehta Hai', take a more broad-based approach to awareness. These campaigns, spread across various media channels, serve as a continuous source of information and reassurance to the public.

RBI's multifaceted approach to promoting digital payments is to increase the volume of transactions and equally empower every stratum of society with the knowledge and confidence to participate in India's burgeoning digital economy. A significant innovation in this domain is the RBI's approval for linking RuPay credit cards to UPI. This move enhances customer convenience by enabling cardless transactions and widening credit card acceptance, even at small merchant outlets equipped with QR codes.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dedication to propelling India's Digital Revolution vividly mirrors the country's substantial progress in adopting and evolving its digital technological capabilities. His statements and initiatives work toward transforming India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy.

Addressing the B20 Summit in 2023, Modi emphasized that India has become a pivotal player in the digital revolution, particularly in the era of Industry 4.0. He highlighted India's crucial role in constructing an efficient and trustworthy global supply chain, underlining the nation's emerging prominence in the global digital landscape. The rapid increase in UPI transactions from 9.2 million to 837.5 million in just five years is not just a statistical achievement but a symbol of India's evolving financial landscape.

The decrease in the year-on-year growth of banknotes in circulation, from 9.9% in FY 2021-22 to 7.8% in FY 2022-23 as per RBI data, further signifies the reducing reliance on cash and a growing inclination towards digital transactions.

The phenomenal growth of UPI transactions underlines the successful integration of technology in India's financial sector. With the government and RBI's continued focus on digital literacy and infrastructure, India is swiftly transitioning to a cashless, digital economy, embracing the digital future of finance with open arms.

For much of the two thousand years of the Common Era, India was the largest economy contributing a third of the global output. Archaeological evidence traces the origins of ancient India’s Indus Valley Civilization to the 5^th millennium before the Common Era. During medieval times too India witnessed several glorious empires and great civilizations spread across millions of miles under enlightened emperors.

Towards the last quarter of the last millennium, India came under the influence of East India Company for almost a century during 18th and 19th centuries. Thereafter the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857 compelled the British to place India directly under the British Crown for another ninety years. For almost two centuries, therefore, India was anchored to Great Britain serving the interests of only the British Empire. Of all the colonies the British conquered, controlled and immensely benefited from it was India that was by far the biggest and the wealthiest and was often referred to as the Jewel in the (British) Crown.

Before finally leaving India the British divided the Indian subcontinent into two countries in three parcels - India, Pakistan West and Pakistan East. India’s population then was 330 million and the GDP was INR 2.7 trillion - a paltry 3% of the global GDP. A country which accounted for a third of the global output for much of two millennia before had thus been bled bone dry by the colonial masters.

Independent India

Independent India has witnessed seventeen free and fair Parliamentary Elections with fifteen Prime Ministers at the helm - each contributing his/her mite to the growth, stability and development of the Indian Nation, its society and economy. How individual Prime Ministers of India tried to build a modern India from the debris of two centuries’ rule by the British Empire is in itself a great story and has been narrated by many authors, Indian and foreign.

In the seventy five years since independence, India has negotiated a difficult, at times treacherous, journey replete with five wars (1948, 1962, 1965, 1971 and 1999) and facing frequent occurrence of natural calamities i.e. floods, famines, droughts and epidemics. Two of its elected Prime Ministers were brutally assassinated and a third died mysteriously after signing the Ceasefire Agreement in the Soviet city of Tashkent post the India-Pakistan 1965 War. A stretch of 21 months during 1975-77 remains an aberration in India’s otherwise uninterrupted democracy when fundamental rights of Indian citizens were suspended during the period of national emergency.

Progress achieved

Much water has flown in the Ganga since India attained her independence. During 1950-51 the contributions to Indian GDP by agriculture, industry and services sectors were 56%, 15% and 29% respectively.Agriculture employed the largest work-force of 72% with Manufacturing and Services providing 10% and 18% jobs respectively.Today the service sector accounts for 54% of Indian GDP. The Industry and agriculture follow with 25.92% and 20.19% respectively.

Life expectancy on the eve of independence was 32 years. It has now gone up to 70 years. In 1950,infant mortality rate in India was 145.6/1000 live births and maternal mortality ratio in the 1940s was 2000/100,000 live births which declined to 1000 in the 1950s. There were just 50,000 doctors across the entire country and the number of primary healthcare centres was 725. Today, infant mortality is 27.7 per 1000 births and maternal mortality rate is 103 per 100,000. India now has more than 1.2 million doctors. There are 54,618 Sub-Health Centres (SHC), 21,898 Primary Health Centres (PHC) and 4,155 Urban Primary Health Centres (UPHC), as on December 8, 2021. There are as many as 70,000 public and private hospitals. As of April 5, 2022 there were117,771 Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) are operational in India apart from 748 e-Hospitals established across the country as part of the ‘Digital India’ initiative of the government.

As for education, when the British left India there were 210,000 primary schools, 13,600 middle schools and 7,416 higher secondary schools in India apart from 498 colleges and 27 Universities. Today there are 1.6 million schools, 42,343 colleges and a thousand Universities. More than 250 million children are going to school today in India and close to 40 million are enrolled in our Universities.

India survived a devastating once in a century pandemic of Covid 19 and its economy contracted by 7.3% in the financial year 2020-21. It may be some consolation that this contraction was lower than in other major economies. As per latest available estimates the growth rate of GDP for 2021-22 is pegged at 8.7% which has to be seen in the context of 7.3% contraction in the preceding year.

India is bound together as a great nation by the strength and stability of its democracy, the rule of law and a breath taking diversity of its populace in terms of religion, language, culture, climate, history, geography and more. At the time of India’s first census in 1951 Hindus were 305 million (84.1%), Muslims 35.4 million (9.8%), Christians 8.3 million and Sikhs 6.86 million (1.9%). In 2022 the estimated population is 1090 million Hindus (79.80%), 200 million Muslims (14.23%), 31.2 million Christians (2.3%), 23.7 million Sikhs (1.72%), 9.6 million Buddhists (0.70%), 5.1 million Jains (0.37%) and 9.1 million (0.66%) other religions and 3.3 million (0.24%) religion not stated. There are two million Hindu temples, 300,000 active mosques, 8,114 Jain temples a few of them abroad, more than 125 Buddhist temples, monasteries, stupas and pagodas, some 35 Jewish synagogues etc. At the time of independence many predicted that India will splinter into pieces based on caste, creed, tribe, language, culture etc., but she has remained in one piece and stronger than ever.

Future Prospects

In the last ten years, despite a sliding down of growth rates since 2016 till the economy picked up this year and a significant unemployment burden haunting policy makers in the country, there is a quiet revolution taking place in the arena of technology, digitization and innovation spearheaded by young Indian companies. The government’s Atmanirbharta crusade has given an impetus to it.

Latest research of the Indian economy in the last ten years by analyst Ruchir Sharma has a few exciting revelations. In 2011 India had 55 Billionaires with a cumulative wealth of US $ 256 billion which was then equivalent to 13.5% of India’s GDP. Ten years later in 2021 India hosts 140 billionaires with the cumulative wealth US$ 596 billion equivalent to 19.6% of the GDP. Sharma adds that 110 of these are new Billionaires created during the course of just last decade. At the time of independence India was the sixth largest economy in the world. In 2021 it retains the same position which is no mean achievement with India’s population having more than quadrupled.

Notwithstanding the above, there is no room for complacency because (a) India still have a large population that lives below the poverty line, estimated by the World Bank at 140 million which is 10% of the population, (b) the formal and informal sectors may not able to absorb the large number of educated young who are passing out of colleges (2022 estimate is 10.76 million), (c) external and internal factors will keep haunting the policy establishment in its effort to achieve double digit GDP growth rate which is the need of the hour for India. Be that as it may India also has several advantages - (i) a median age of less than 30 years, (ii) a strong and focussed government, (iii) growing market, and, (iv) an innovative Indian youth. If India persists with its pursuit of building and consolidating its infrastructure, keeps the society cohesive and harmonious, stabilizes predictable consistency in policy formulation and implementation, a brighter future can be ensured for its future generations.

***

Ambassador A. R. Ghanshyam - 

is a retired Indian diplomat who has served as Ambassador of India to Angola and High Commissioner of India to Nigeria

This June, International Day of Yoga celebrations will be held across the Czech Republic again. This year’s celebrations will be bigger than usually since India is celebrating 75th anniversary of its independence from colonial British rule. Under the title of “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav“, a number of events are taking place in India and abroad, including in the Czech Republic.

„The International Day of Yoga was first celebrated globally in 2015, following its inception in the UN General Assembly in 2014. In his UN address then, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had suggested the date of 21 June to celebrate the International Day of Yoga, as it is the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere and has a special meaning in many parts of the world. The first celebration in India was organized by the Indian Ministry of AYUSH which deals with ayurveda, yoga and other Indian health systems. Since then, the International Day of Yoga is celebrated annually all over the world, including in the Czech Republic,“ said H. E. Hemant H Kotalwar, Ambassador of Republic of India to the Czech Republic who invited all yoga enthusiasts to take part in events organized across the Czech Republic by the Yoga associations.

In the curtain raiser event hosted at the Indian Embassy in Prague on 8 June , Psychologist and psychotherapist Petr Růžička explained how practise of yoga benefited the mental health. Petr said “people are then able to look at themselves in a healthy way (self-reflection) and to keep their behaviour and acts under control. This function of self-regulation is safeguarded primarily by an area of brain behind the forehead whose development is supported especially by concentration and meditation but also by other yogic exercises.”

How can yoga help us?

· Let’s practice yoga (classical yoga which includes a comprehensive system of physical, mental, breathing and spiritual techniques, such as for example the Yoga in Daily Life System) on the basis of the principle of "sannahana", i.e. resistance and indomitableness.

· Let’s not avoid adequate load and obstacles, let’s rather try to overcome them (each unnecessary avoidance weakens our ability to manage and deepens our fear of further load).

· Let’s harden our body (cold shower in the morning, walking barefoot in the nature…), let’s cultivate our self-discipline, let’s direct our lives from chaos to organization and regularity (it saves considerable amounts of life energy that we can use to manage load).

· Let’s think and communicate in a positive way. The way we think about the world creates our world.

· Let’s build our health self-confidence and self-awareness. They represent the basis for life stability and resistance.

· Let’s strengthen our social and environmental health. What is my relationship with other people, with the environment, with the world? Do I love them, take care of them?

· Let’s cultivate our spirituality (it does not have to be tied to any religion), let’s feel our connection with the wholeness, let’s respect what goes beyond us.

How to join us?

This year’s celebration of the International Day of Yoga organized by the Embassy of India will take place on June 21 from 8:30 am in the India House at Sarecka 7, Prague 6 and will be live telecast globally.

Every week, 25 branches of Yoga in Daily Life offer almost 500 public yoga courses in over 100 Czech towns and cities. Apart from Yoga in Daily Life, more than 35 centres all over Czech Republic also organize regular yoga classes which promote mindfullness and holistic well being. In Prague, to celebrate the International Day of Yoga 2022, there will be open house on June 16 in three Yoga in Daily Life centres (in Blanicka street in Prague 2; Velichovska street in Prague 5 – Mala Ohrada and Donovalska street in Prague 4 – Jizni Mesto). People interested in yoga can come to try a free yoga class within 6 different yoga courses: for beginners; against back pain; and to support vitality. In other Czech and Moravian cities, people can join yoga in a park, tasting of vegetarian specialities and other programmes. All the courses, seminars and other events organized by Yoga in Daily Life can be found atwww.joga.cz and the Facebook pagewww.fb.com/jogavdennimzivote.cz.

The 26 January celebrations of India's Republic Day were organized in style by the Embassy of India in the Czech Republic to commemorate the 75th year of India‘s Independence from colonial rule, being celebrated as ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ - with a series of yearlong events, both in India and abroad.

On this day, the national flag is unfurled throughout India accompanied by singing of the Indian national anthem – this takes place in state and local government venues, as well as in schools, universities and other similar institutions. The most important event is held in New Delhi where the President and Prime Minister take active part. There is a parade with participation of people from all walks of life to highlight the cultural diversity of India including the strength of armed forces and other security agencies.

To commemorate this special year, several firsts took place during the main parade in India‘s capital, New Delhi, including a grand flypast by 75 aircraft/helicopters of the Indian Air Force; cultural performances by 480 dancers selected through a nationwide dance competition; display of ten scrolls each of 75 metres prepared during the ‘Kala Kumbh’ event and a drone show by 1,000 indigenously developed drones has been planned for ‘Beating the Retreat’ ceremony, along with projection mapping.

In the Czech Republic several curtain raiser events: an interaction with Indian students, an international yoga and wellbeing conference, a cultural program by the students of an Arts School culminated in an official Reception at the Prague Congress Centre.

On January 21, at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University in Brno, H.E. Hemant Kotalwar, Ambassador of India to the Czech Republic, celebrated the Republic Day with the students of the University with the support of the Dean of the Faculty Prof. Martin Repko, Ph.D. Ambassador also discussed with the Indian students their experience of studying in the Czech Republic. The faculty management agreed with the Ambassador to cooperate in finding partner universities in India with the aim to facilitate student exchanges and to establish expert cooperation in science and research.

On January 22, an international conference took place in the largest European yoga centre (ashram) of the Yoga In Daily Life NGO in the Czech village of Střílky in the Kroměříž District^[1]. Ambassador and Indian yoga Guru,Vishwaguru Swami Maheshwarananda were the keynote speakers at the conference. Ambassador highlighted the importance of the Republic Day of India while appreciating the long-term work of Vishaguru Maheshwarananda and the Yoga in Daily Life organization in spreading the good name of yoga and India in the Czech Republic. Dr. Kateřina Sheardová, head of the Memory Center of the International Clinical Research Center at St. Anne's Teaching Hospital in Brno, introduced the participants to the use of yoga and the System Yoga In Daily Life in the prevention and treatment of the consequences of the COVID disease, including memory disorders and psychological problems.

On January 23, Ambassador attended a musical performance and drawing exhibition organised by students of the Revnice Arts School as a part of the Republic Day celebrations. This was also an occasion to commemorate the 125th birth anniversary of the great Indian freedom fighter, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

The celebrations culminated with a reception which was well attended by Czech dignitaries and diplomats. Mr. Jiri Kozak, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs graced the occasion as the chief guest and the Czech Army military band regaled the audience with instrumental rendition of Czech and Indian national anthems.

Ambassador also expressed his appreciation to the Mayor of Liberec city, Mr. Jaroslav Zámečník, for his gracious gesture of lighting up the City Hall in colors of the Indian flag on this occasion.

On this occasion, Prime Minister of India also conveyed his personal greetings to Mr. Jakub Janda, Director of European Values Center for Security Policy, Prague and appreciated his work on global security policy.

[1] Střílky hosts the largest European centre of the international non-profit organisation Yoga in Daily Life, founded by the Indian Yoga Master Vishwaguru Swami Maheshwarananda. He has been coming to the Czech Republic regularly since 1973 to lecture on yoga spirituality and philosophy and to train yoga teachers.