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Amid the ongoing impasse over <keyword id="22586111" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="technicians-body" source="Orion">technicians' body</keyword> refusal to work under a particular director for a project, no shooting took place on Monday in any film studio in Kolkata and surrounding areas as directors of <keyword id="117312" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bengali-film-industry" source="Orion">Bengali film industry</keyword> decided to go for an indefinite <keyword id="66308" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cease-work" source="Orion">cease work</keyword> from July 29 in solidarity with the young filmmaker. "There has been no shooting in all the 11 studios of any sort since this morning," a spokesperson of the <keyword id="22586110" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Directors-Guild" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Directors' Guild" meta.hostid="83" meta.entityid="Directors' Guild">Directors' Guild</keyword> said. The technicians' body is also slated to meet later on Monday on their boycott. While producers also came forward in support of directors' demand. Directors Association of Eastern India in a statement on Sunday night said: "In deference to the wishes and sentiments of majority of directors, the association has decided to go for indefinite cease work on shooting floors from Monday (July 29) till the problem faced by directors are addressed in an amicable and proper manner." In a facebook post titled #directorsinsolidarity, prominent filmmakers including Aparna Sen, Kaushik Ganguly, Srijit Mukherjee, Arindam Sil, Indrasis Acharya, Indradip Dasgupta, Kamaleswar Mukherjee, Atanu Ghosh and others said despite the Directors Guild allowing Rahool Mukherjee to helm the shooting of the untitled film (by SVF), the first-day shoot could not take place on July 27 at a city studio as the technicians stayed away. "This was extremely humiliating for directors and actors present at the shooting floor. As demanded by many directors after this development we suggest until the technicians under the federation agree to take part in the shoot accepting Rahool Mukherjee as director, till then we will be forced to go for non-cooperation," the statement said. The directors further asserted federation cannot impose its will in an arbitrary manner without seeking any acceptable solution. "The way technicians of the federation have been forced to non-cooperate with Rahool Mukherjee is ominous for the entertainment industry and insulting for every single director, the statement said. Arindam Sil said: "The ceasework will be only applicable for <keyword id="20256794" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bengali-film" source="keywords">Bengali film</keyword>, serial and web series shoots." Voicing apprehension that the boycott of the director by technicians and protests by other directors may snowball into a major crisis affecting shoots of films, serials, web series in Bengali film industry, West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists Forum president and veteran actor Ranjit Mallick and secretary Santilal Mukherjee on Sunday requested all sides to sit for talks immediately and thrash out the differences. "Any disruption of shooting will affect actors, directors, technicians, producers - every stakeholder in the industry - which will do no good... We therefore call upon every side to sit for talks for the interest of industry and iron out differences. If required the artist's forum can mediate to resolve the issue. Let's not allow the situation to snowball into a major crisis that will only affect everyone in the industry as well as the audiences," the forum earlier said. The forum is the apex body of actors in the entertainment industry in Bengal. On July 27, despite the clean chit given to filmmaker Rahool Mukherjee by the Directors' Guild allowing him to work as creative producer in an upcoming film, no technician turned up at a Kolkata studio on the first day of shooting. Federation of Cine Technicians and Workers of Eastern India (FCTWEI) president Swarup Biswas said Mukherjee was being debarred from directing films for three months for violating norms by visiting Bangladesh for shooting another movie without intimation to the federation and taking the help of technicians in Dhaka. Biswas told reporters that while it had been amicably decided earlier that Rahool Mukherjee would be the creative producer of the film to be shot from July 27, the call sheet given to them for the shoot still referred to Rahool Mukherjee as the director and he was seen taking every initiative during the shoot. "This was seen as violating the spirit of our agreement and we technicians don't want to work under the instruction of Mukherjee who had not taken any technician from Kolkata to complete 10 days of shooting of an OTT film 'Lohu' in Bangladesh earlier this year," Biswas said. "Mukherjee himself had admitted his mistake at the first meeting with the federation and guild earlier in July but now retracting." The untitled film produced by SVF mired in uncertainty starred Prosenjit Chatterjee, Anirban Bhattacharya and Priyanka Sarkar. SVF which was behind the project had stated that Soumik Haldar would now direct the film while Rahool Mukherjee would be the creative producer. However, most directors in solidarity with Rahool Mukherjee now demanded that he should not be replaced.

Film shooting stops in Kolkata studios as Bengali film industry calls for cease work

<keyword id="20190045" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Industry-body" source="keywords">Industry body</keyword> <keyword id="21568150" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SME-Chamber-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="SME Chamber of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="SME Chamber of India">SME Chamber of India</keyword> has urged <keyword id="19956758" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Finance-Minister" source="keywords">Finance Minister</keyword> <keyword id="19916618" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nirmala-Sitharaman" source="keywords">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> to continue the 45-day <keyword id="21233021" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="MSME-payment-rule" source="keywords">MSME payment rule</keyword> for <keyword id="20008810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="corporates" source="keywords">corporates</keyword> and other buyers. According to Section 43B(h) of the <keyword id="19936187" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Income-Tax-Act" source="keywords">Income Tax Act</keyword>, introduced through the <keyword id="19955404" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="finance" source="keywords">Finance</keyword> Act 2023, if a larger company does not pay an MSME on time -- within 45 days in case of written agreements -- it cannot deduct that expense from its taxable income, leading to potentially higher taxes. The government in last year's Budget added a new clause under Section 43B of the Income Tax Act to address the challenge of delayed payments faced by MSMEs in the country. "We are pursuing not to change the 45-day MSME payment rules imposed by the Department under the pressure of corporates or multinational companies to save the life span of the MSME sector. Section 43B(h) of the Income Tax Act reinforces the importance of timely payments by mandating that companies settle payments to MSME vendors within 45 days to qualify for deductions," SME Chamber said in a statement addressed to Sitharaman. The industry body argued that this provision serves as a powerful incentive for companies to adhere to payment timelines, thereby supporting the financial health of MSMEs. "Many MSMEs are NPA victims of corporates, who are buying from them and not dealing through the TReDs platform. Most of the corporates and multinational companies are forcefully insisting to deregister from the Udyam Portal and insisting not to deal through the TReDs platform," SME Chamber stated. The industry body also urged the finance minister to consider providing Rs 5 crore loans under the "Differential Rate of Interest" scheme for micro and <keyword id="20569966" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="small-enterprises" source="keywords">small enterprises</keyword>. It suggested changing the NPA definition from 90 days to 180 days for the MSME sector. The chamber also sought the setting up of a task force to review various issues, hurdles, grievances and difficulties faced by MSMEs for availing credit facilities and the lack of approach by the financial institutions towards enhancement of credit flow to the MSME sector.

Continue 45-day MSME payment rule: Industry body to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman

We often think of skincare as a pampering ritual, an opportunity to nourish our skin and express our individuality. But as recent research from the University of Birmingham reveals, some of the popular “leave-on” products we use daily — like sunscreens, moisturisers, and lip balms — might be doing more harm than good. Specifically, <keyword id="19970180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microplastics" source="keywords">microplastics</keyword> in these products are flying under the radar, raising serious concerns about both environmental and health implications. While most regulatory frameworks have targeted rinse-off products — think face washes and shampoos—leave-on products have received scant attention. This oversight is alarming, especially considering that microplastics, which can be tiny plastic particles or fibres, are prevalent in many of our favorite skincare staples. Dr. Anna Kukkola, a researcher at the University of Birmingham, notes, “The contribution of ‘leave-on’ cosmetics to microplastic pollution is a critical, yet underexplored aspect of environmental contamination.” In their critical review, the researchers analysed 2,381 products and found that only two were classified as leave-on. This glaring gap can be attributed to several factors: the challenges in extracting microplastics from complex formulations and the prevailing public perception that the microplastic issue has been adequately addressed due to bans on rinse-off products. But the truth is, leave-on products could be significant contributors to the microplastic problem. <h2><keyword id="19977451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-risks" source="keywords">Health risks</keyword> of microplastics</h2>The health implications of daily exposure to microplastics in leave-on products remain largely uncharted territory. With limited research on how these particles interact with our skin after application, the potential for absorption into our bodies — through mechanisms such as hair follicles and sweat ducts — raises red flags. Dr. Kukkola emphasises this point, stating, “Given how much of these formulas our bodies can and do absorb, it is concerning that little to no research has taken place to investigate the associated health effects.” <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114327120" title="An expert in how microplastics affect our health does 6 things to avoid them at home" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Another critical insight from the study is the misuse of the term “microbeads.” Typically associated with rinse-off products, this term has been inaccurately applied to all microplastics in cosmetics, resulting in regulatory blind spots. This mislabeling has skewed global legislation towards rinse-off products, leaving a significant portion of the microplastic contamination from leave-on products unregulated. <h2>Call for action and future research</h2>The researchers are not just pointing out problems; they are advocating for solutions. Collaborative efforts are underway to develop new methods for extracting and analysing microplastics in <keyword id="23630244" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="leave-on-cosmetics" source="keywords">leave-on cosmetics</keyword>. This initiative, spearheaded by Dr. Sophie Comer-Warner from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and Professor Iseult Lynch, aims to fill the critical knowledge gaps identified in the study. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114375709" title="Standing desks may not be a boon for health after all" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Professor Lynch warns, “While the microplastics themselves might be relatively benign, a number of other chemicals are intrinsically bound into or onto the microplastics in complex leave-on formulations, including potentially PFAS, plasticisers, and other chemicals known to be either carcinogens or endocrine disruptors.” As we lather on our moisturisers and slather on <keyword id="19944313" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sunscreen" source="keywords">sunscreen</keyword>, it’s crucial to be aware of what we’re putting on our skin. The <keyword id="20724496" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="beauty-industry" source="keywords">beauty industry</keyword> is evolving, and with it, our understanding of safety and <keyword id="20224419" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="environmental-impact" source="keywords">environmental impact</keyword> must grow. It’s time to advocate for better regulations and more research on the unseen dangers of our beloved leave-on <keyword id="20521267" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="skincare-products" source="keywords">skincare products</keyword>. By staying informed and demanding transparency from manufacturers, we can ensure that our beauty routines don’t come at the expense of our health or the environment. The findings of this research have been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials and can be accessed <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.135053">here</a>.

Popular leave-on cosmetics such as sunscreen and lip balms may pose a hidden microplastic risk, scientists warn

New Delhi, The country's vegetable oil imports declined by 28 per cent to 12 lakh tonnes in January from a year-ago period, industry body <keyword id="19986409" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sea" source="keywords">SEA</keyword> said on Monday. Vegetable oil imports stood at 16.61 lakh tonnes in January 2023. <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> is a leading vegetable oil buyer in the world. In the first quarter (November-January) of the current oil year, total imports dropped 23 per cent to 36.73 lakh tonnes as against 47.73 lakh tonnes in the same quarter of previous year. According to the <keyword id="20059424" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="solvent-extractors-association-of-india" source="keywords">Solvent Extractors Association of India</keyword> (SEA), about 7,82,983 tonnes of palm oil and 4,08,938 tonnes of soft oil were imported in January this year out of total vegetables oils. As on February 1, total edible oils stock stood at 26.49 lakh tonnes, down 7.64 per cent from that of the year-ago period, it said in a statement. SEA said prices of edible oils, which are currently low, may go up this year on lower production, global economic issues and supply constraints. The availability of palm oil for edible oil requirements has come down as the two main producers, Malaysia and Indonesia, are diverting it for the production of bio-diesel. This could result in an increase in prices this year, it said. Global palm oil output was seasonally low in January-March 2024, leading to a reduction of stocks both in producing as well as importing countries, it added. India imports palm oil mainly from Indonesia and Malaysia and a small quantity of crude soft oil, including soyabean, from Argentina. Sunflower oil is imported from <keyword id="19895162" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ukraine" source="keywords">Ukraine</keyword> and <keyword id="19895159" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="russia" source="keywords">Russia</keyword>.

India's vegetable oil imports fall 28% in January says industry body SEA

India’s <keyword id="20312255" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Business-Process-Management" source="keywords">Business Process Management</keyword> (<keyword id="700088" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bpm" source="Orion">BPM</keyword>) industry is defying predictions that generative artificial intelligence (Gen-<keyword id="6355999" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ai" source="Orion">AI</keyword>) could pose challenges for them. Instead, the sector is making a bold bet on AI and skilled talent to fuel its resurgence. With significant investments underway, industry leaders are confident that these efforts will show results within the next 3-5 years. “All of us are investing. And, the ROI will start coming in the next 3-5 years,” Harita Gupta, Head of Global Experience, SVP Global Business Operations Solutions and Support at Sutherland and the chairperson of <keyword id="19955786" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nasscom" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Nasscom" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Nasscom">Nasscom</keyword> BPM Council. She shared these insights during a panel discussion on “Data, Technology, Skill and Customers – The New Value Levers for BPM in India,” hosted by Business Insider India. Leaders in the <keyword id="21482461" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BPM-industry" source="keywords">BPM industry</keyword> are confident about <keyword id="19985355" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gen-AI" source="keywords">Gen-AI</keyword>’s potential to create markets that have never existed before, help them do what they have already been doing for a decade more efficiently, and transform their companies into AI-driven enterprises. The Indian BPM industry generated $48.9 billion revenue as of FY24. <div type="Youtube" id="utbJS9i9RgA" title="Unlocking New Value Levers For BPM In India: The Role Of Data, Tech, Skill And Customers" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/utbJS9i9RgA/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utbJS9i9RgA]]></url></div> <h2>Tapping into emerging <keyword id="21859797" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="talent-hubs" source="keywords">talent hubs</keyword></h2> Traditionally, it is present in India’s metro cities, like Delhi, Bombay, Bombay and Pune. In its second innings, the BPM industry has shifted its focus to Tier-II and Tier-III cities, which offer a wealth of talent, lower operational costs and more accommodative regulations. “The industry has started to take jobs to where the talent is rather than the other way around,” remarked Sapna Bhambani, the Senior VP of Operations and Geo Leader at TaskUs. She highlighted that over half of TaskUs’ business is now based out of Tier-II cities with Indore and Mohali leading the way. “The states where the government is extending a helping hand are the most successful emerging hubs,” Bhambani added. Nasscom too is keen on Tier-II and Tier-III cities for the expansion of the BPM industry, identifying Lucknow, Kanpur, Coimbatore, Trichy, Indore, Bhopal, Vizag and Vijayawada as notable emerging hubs. Gupta emphasised that the industry body will be working hand-in-hand with the universities and institutions in the area to build talent pipelines and garner support. And hiring from Tier-II cities is not just about tapping into new talent pools; it’s also improving employee retention, which has been a pain point for the industry in recent years. Tech Mahindra has tried to counter this by hiring for non-frontline roles from within the company, rather than hiring new talent. However, as Venkatesh Korla, the CEO of Americas at Hinduja Global Solutions (HGS) pointed out, a cultural shift is still needed to rebrand BPM jobs. “It’s changing. It’s not 100 percent there yet… They’ve realised there’s a lot more stickiness and a lot more opportunity in the BPM space, and we see talent also want to take on these jobs,” Korla explained. <h2>Creating new markets</h2>Most AI processes are trained using large language models (LLMs). Many, GPT-Neo and BERT, are open-source, which means they’re free for anyone to use. However, enterprises are looking to build their own LLMs in-house to train their AI products primarily to maintain control over proprietary data – a move that opens up new opportunities for BPM firms. “Large SAS companies want to integrate their own LLM in their products and they require the same BPM services to actually train their models. That’s a huge opportunity,” Birendra Sen, the President of Business Process Services at Tech Mahindra, told Business Insider. <h2>The need for experimentation</h2>While the use of Gen-AI in the BPM industry is widespread, many initiatives are still in the Proof of Concept (POC) stage. This implies that while there is investment, both in terms of money and manpower, directed at creating more Gen-AI led solutions, they may not necessarily succeed. “If something fails, we just fail fast and move,” Gupta told Business Insider. Moreover, leaders like Venkatesh Korla view AI as a transformative tool that complements human expertise rather than replacing it. “AI is going to help in coaching, compliance, and in quality control. I call this the Iron Man's suit or the J.A.R.V.I.S. for Iron Man because it never replaces the human inside the suit. So, that's really how we need to look at it,” Korla remarked. India’s BPM sector has demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of previous challenges, such as the rise of automation and the shift towards digital services. It is now poised to reinvent itself, this time by integrating AI with human expertise and expanding into new talent hubs. With a strong focus on innovation and upskilling, industry leaders are optimistic about the future, anticipating that these strategic moves will secure India’s position as a global leader in the BPM landscape over the next few years. This article is part of a four-part webinar series in partnership with Nasscom. These monthly webinars aim to delve deep and offer insights into the evolving BPM landscape. You can watch the full video of the first session <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utbJS9i9RgA">here</a>. Disclaimer: This article is generated and published by the Insider Studios team. You can get in touch with them on insiderstudios@businessinsider.in

The future of BPM in India: AI, talent hubs and a new growth strategy

<keyword id="20163833" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Passenger-vehicle" source="keywords">Passenger vehicle</keyword> wholesales in India declined 2.5 per cent year-on-year to 3,41,510 units in July, impacted by high base effect as well as companies reducing vehicle dispatches to dealers amid moderation in demand. The overall passenger vehicle (PV) dispatches from companies to dealers stood at 3,50,355 units in July 2023, <keyword id="20081560" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="automobile-industry" source="keywords">automobile industry</keyword> body <keyword id="20185536" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="SIAM" source="keywords">SIAM</keyword> said on Wednesday. <keyword id="21653561" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="utility-vehicles" source="keywords">Utility vehicles</keyword> continued to drive sales of PVs, clocking 1,88,217 units last month, as against 1,80,831 units in July 2023, a growth of 4.1 per cent, as per the data issued by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). Passenger cars, however, recorded a drop of 12 per cent at 96,652 units, as against 1,09,859 units in the same month last year. Industry observers pointed out that after high-paced growth witnessed in the past couple of years, the industry is witnessing moderation in demand. Besides, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) also undertook stock corrections in July to reduce inventory in the network. As per SIAM data, <keyword id="22783202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="two-wheeler-wholesales" source="keywords">two-wheeler wholesales</keyword> grew by 12.5 per cent to 14,41,694 units last month, as compared to 12,82,054 units in July 2023. <keyword id="20067449" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="motorcycles" source="keywords">Motorcycles</keyword> wholesales were up 4.1 per cent at 8,50,489 units in July 2024, as against 8,17,206 units in the year-ago month, SIAM said. Scooters sales were up 29.2 per cent at 5,53,642 units last month, as against 4,28,640 units in the year-ago period. Three-wheeler wholesales also rose 5.1 per cent to 59,073 units from 56,204 units in July last year. "Though three-wheeler and two-wheeler segments are performing well, there has been some de-growth of passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles in July 2024, compared to July 2023," SIAM President Vinod Aggarwal said in a statement. He, however, said the above average rainfall coupled with upcoming festive season is likely to again propel growth in the short term. "In addition, enabling budget announcements which emphasise on overall economic growth with fiscal support for infrastructure and rural sector should augur well for the auto sector in the medium-term," Aggarwal said.

Domestic passenger vehicle wholesales dips 2.5% at 3,41,510 units in July: SIAM

The <keyword id="20143656" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="turnover" source="keywords">turnover</keyword> of India's automotive component industry registered a <keyword id="19910261" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="growth" source="keywords">growth</keyword> of 9.8 per cent in the financial year 2023-24, according to the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (<keyword id="20475655" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ACMA" source="keywords">ACMA</keyword>). The turnover stood at Rs 6.14 lakh crore (USD 74.1 billion) during the year, said the ACMA, the body representing India's auto component manufacturing industry, in its review for the fiscal year 2023-24, as per a release. <keyword id="20373789" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shradha-suri-marwah" source="keywords">Shradha Suri Marwah</keyword>, President, ACMA, and CMD, Subros, said that apart from an increase in <keyword id="21825714" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-production" source="keywords">vehicle production</keyword>, higher value addition from the component sector has led to growth in the auto components sector. "On the front of trade, whilst overall merchandise <keyword id="19916774" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="exports" source="keywords">exports</keyword> from India witnessed degrowth in FY24, auto component exports have grown despite geopolitical challenges and an increase in logistics costs," Marwah said. Elaborating on the mood of the industry and outlook for the near future, Marwah mentioned, steady growth in the vehicle industry has resulted in the industry reaching pre-pandemic levels of performance in 2023-24 in most segments, however, the first quarter of FY25 witnessed somewhat slower offtake in <keyword id="20051501" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-sales" source="keywords">vehicle sales</keyword>, especially in passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, given the high base, due to inclement weather conditions and elections. "With strong macro-economic indicators, conducive government policies, and over 7 per cent growth projected for the Indian GDP, we are hopeful that the auto components industry will continue to perform well in 2024-25," Marwah added in the release. Following are some of the key findings of the ACMA Annual Industry Performance Review: Auto component sales to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the domestic market were at Rs 5.18 lakh crore (USD 62.4 billion), growing 8.9 per cent compared to the previous year. Consumption of increased value-added components, a thrust on localisation, and a shift in market preference towards larger and more powerful vehicles contributed to the increased turnover of the auto-components sector. Exports of auto components witnessed growth of 5.5 per cent to Rs USD 21.2 billion in 2023-24 in contrast to USD 20.1 billion in 2022-23. North America accounted for 32 per cent of exports. Europe accounted for another 33 per cent and Asia for 24 per cent, respectively. Exports to Europe grew by 12 per cent while to Asia remained flat. The key export items included drive transmission and steering, engine components, body and chassis, suspension and braking systems. Component imports grew by 3.0 per cent in 2023-24 to USD 20.9 billion from USD 20.3 billion in 2022-23. Further, increased vehicle movement and a surge in demand for used vehicles led to buoyancy in the aftermarket across all segments. The turnover of the aftermarket in 2023-24 stood at Rs 93,886 crore (USD 11.3 billion) compared to Rs 85,333 crore (USD 10.6 billion) in the previous year. The aftermarket, with an increase in e-commerce, is witnessing enhanced penetration, especially in the hinterland, and a gradual evolution into the organised sector. (ANI)

Indian auto component industry turnover grows 9.8% in 2023-24; outlook positive: ACMA review

Imagery of battlefields and violence have permeated the news cycle as armed conflicts rage around the globe, particularly in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/israel-rafah-gaza-assault-warns-civilians-biden-2024-5">Middle East</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fierce-russian-attacks-test-ukraine-defense-near-kharkiv-war-expansion-2024-5">Ukraine</a>.Rarely, however, do we see inside the multibillion-dollar industry behind the weapons that cause its destruction.In his new book, "<a target="_blank" href="https://nikitateryoshin.com/nothing-personal">Nothing Personal: The Back Office of War</a>," photographer Nikita Teryoshin lifts the veil on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-arms-exports-rise-50-percent-cutting-russia-weapons-trade-2024-1">global arms trade</a>, capturing defense exhibitions worldwide.<div type="image" title="Arms company CTA demonstrating their fire power on an 2mm thick aluminum target. CTA is joint venture between Nexter and BAE Systems based in France. EUROSATORY, Paris, France, 2018" height="2670" width="4000" msid="110124471" hostid="261"></div>"These [defense] fairs are the opposite of what you imagine when you think of arms and war," Teryoshin said in an interview with Business Insider.Through the colorful, bright, yet uncanny depictions of the defense industry, "Nothing Personal" portrays a world that is the complete opposite of the battlefield it profits from, highlighting the sobering reality of war as a business and economic incentive.From 2016 to 2023, Teryoshin documented defense fairs in 14 countries, including the United States, China, France, Abu Dhabi, and Russia. Closed to the public, his series offers a rare inside look into the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-economy-oil-export-revenue-price-cap-war-dark-fleet-2023-12">lucrative global arms industry.</a><div type="image" title="Live demonstration of warfare watched by high-ranked guests, politicians and traders. IDEX Expo, Abu Dhabi, UAE, 2019" height="1335" width="2000" msid="110124474" hostid="261"></div>Teryoshin's photos depict the showy display of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-abrams-tank-crew-says-still-on-front-lines-2024-5">tanks</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/armies-need-their-own-drone-air-force-flown-by-specialists-study-says-2024-5">drones</a>, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russian-helicopter-ukrainian-drone-boat-armed-with-missiles-2024-5">missiles</a>, air shows, and war shows at various defense exhibitions. He described the fairs as "an oversized playground for adults with wine, finger food, and shiny weapons.""Dead bodies here are mannequins or pixels on screens of a huge number of simulators," he wrote in his book. "Bazookas and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainians-using-decades-old-us-gun-truck-against-russia-drones-2024-5">machine guns</a> are plugged into flatscreens and war action is staged in an artificial environment in front of a tribune full of high-ranked guests, ministers, heads of state, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-us-general-russia-growing-back-pre-war-military-strength-2024-4">generals</a>, and traders."<div type="image" title="A photo stand of the Indian Army. The soldier cut out equipped with a Kalashnikov rifle wears a Russian uniform with explosion coming out of his missing head.DEFEXPO, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2020" height="4000" width="2667" msid="110124478" hostid="261"></div>Teryoshin's images are striking — a bright flash in each image tying together the bizarre display of weapons with abstracted figures of anonymous delegates. A colorful array of canapés and a bright floral dress are set in a scene with a sleek gray model of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/french-warships-defeating-houthi-missile-attacks-2024-3">naval gun </a>looming in the background.<div type="image" title="Model of a Swedish Bofors 57 Mk3 naval gun behind a table full of food at defense fair" height="2670" width="4000" msid="110124481" hostid="261"></div>"I think it's the key visuals in the project where you see food and waitress serving wine and juice, and in the background, you see all these war machines," Teryoshin said.In 2019, Teryoshin attended the International Defense Exhibition &amp; Conference in Abu Dhabi, where he said guests were enjoying a cake decorated with a mini tank, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-pulls-aircraft-from-front-lines-ukraine-strikes-deep-intel-2024-5">jet fighters</a>, and missiles.<div type="image" title="IDEX 25th anniversary cake with explosions, missiles, and soldier cut outs" height="1200" width="1798" msid="110124485" hostid="261"></div>"Special guests and generals started to eat the cake with little forks out from the pallet directly, and then I thought it looked like a real battlefield," Teryoshin said. "There was an explosion and a tank and a plane and jet fighters were flying little toys that were flying around this explosion, and it was totally weird."He added: "The alliance of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uae-forges-china-ties-but-wont-get-j20-stealth-fighter-2024-5">UAE</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-us-deal-could-reshape-mideast-excludes-israel-war-2024-5">Saudi Arabia </a>were flying strikes against<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-aircraft-carrier-rearmed-back-red-sea-battle-houthis-2024-5"> the Houthis</a> and bombing hospitals, schools, and houses of normal people, and at the same time, 1,000 kilometers away, they are eating this cake with an explosion."With elements of dark humor and absurdity in every image, the photographer's distinctive visual style emphasizes the jarring juxtaposition of the luxury and celebration at defense fairs and the destructive weaponry and firearms the industry produces.<div type="image" title="Missiles models Python, Derby, Spike ER at the stand of the Israeli Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. surrounding an empty coffee mug." height="4000" width="2741" msid="110124488" hostid="261"></div>Large, metallic-gray <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-navy-more-missiles-recently-got-first-kill-pacific-threats-2024-5">missiles</a> frame a half-empty coffee mug sitting on the edge of a display table. The camera's flash casts imposing shadows of the missiles around the mug — the everyday object normalizing the display of dangerous weaponry.Teryoshin alluded to the look of crime scene photography when discussing the use of flash in his series. The cold, harsh flash highlights the environment's ominousity through a pointedly cynical perspective.After the construction and the <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/oil-gas-prices-israel-gaza-war-middle-east-houthi-iran-2024-2">oil and gas sectors</a>, the global arms trade is one of the most corruption-prone sectors in the world, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://ti-defence.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1004_corruption_risk_offsets.pdf">Transparency International</a>. By contrast, the international trade of bananas is more tightly regulated than the arms trade, according to the introductory note of <a target="_blank" href="https://legal.un.org/avl/ha/att/att.html#:~:text=By%202006%2C%20international%20attention%20shifted,resonate%20strongly%20with%20many%20States">the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty</a>.<div type="image" title="Peruvian delegation at the stand of UkrOboronProm shaking hands" height="2670" width="4000" msid="110124492" hostid="261"></div>With the weaponry in the forefront, the fairgoers in the series remain anonymous — the figures of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-sanctions-russian-trade-banking-financing-ruble-ukraine-war-funding-2024-5">traders and politicians</a> are all faceless and undetectable."I deliberately don't show you the faces of the businessmen," Teryoshin said in his artist statement. "It is not my intention to fix everything upon a certain person."<div type="image" title="South Korean officer watching the air show by the aerobatic 'Black Eagles' air force team flying KAI T-50B Golden Eagle jets." height="4000" width="2670" msid="110124496" hostid="261"></div>The anonymity of the figures adds mystery to each photograph and portrays the photographer's intention of showcasing the global arms industry as a monolith."I also didn't want to blame any special country, manufacturer, or person but to show it just as a phenomenon," he said.Here, war is simply a universal means of commerce — the convention space secluded from the real terror of conflict.<div type="image" title="On the deck of a ferry while jet fighters, helicopters and cargo aircraft fly low." height="2669" width="4000" msid="110124498" hostid="261"></div><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/global-military-spending-reaches-record-highs-2023-wars-conflicts-ukraine-2024-4">Military spending worldwide</a> amounted to $2.44 trillion in 2023. In the US, it was estimated that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-aid-spending-israel-military-defense-gaza-war-2023-10">average taxpayer contributed $5,109 to the US military</a> and its support systems in 2023. While the average American contributes <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-aid-bill-help-american-jobs-military-defense-business-economy-2024-4">thousands of dollars to the military</a>, the general public is not privy to the inner workings of war profiteering — something Teryoshin hopes to change through his photography.Teryoshin shows the irony behind arms company slogans, such as "70 years defending peace" by Kalashnikov Group or "Engineering a better tomorrow" by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/militaries-receiving-f35-jets-frees-f16s-for-ukraine-former-exec-2023-7">Lockheed Martin,</a> by showing viewers the opposite of a violent and terrifying battlefield: the people in business attire who profit from window shopping for war machines with champagne in hand.<div type="image" title="A woman holding tray of juice and wine in front of a military helicopter." height="4000" width="2670" msid="110124500" hostid="261"></div>

Behind the Curtains of the Global Arms Industry

<ul><li>The <keyword id="15478236" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="budget-2024" source="Orion">Budget 2024</keyword> will be tabled by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23.</li><li>The <keyword id="20081557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="auto-industry" source="keywords">auto industry</keyword>’s expectations from the Budget 2024 include FAME 3 scheme, incentives for hybrids and more.</li><li>Here are the key expectations from the auto industry for the Budget 2024.</li></ul> The Budget 2024 is set to be tabled on July 23 by the finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and like each sector, the Indian auto industry also has set a lot of expectations from the Narendra Modi-led government’s first budget of its third term. From a boost to electric vehicles to infrastructure development, the auto sector has a series of expectations that it hopes will be addressed in the upcoming budget. This article delves into the key budget expectations of the auto industry in India <h2>FAME 3 scheme</h2>The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles (FAME 2) has been integral for the electric vehicle (EV) makers as it has helped keep EVs affordable for the common man. With the government<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/government-is-reportedly-reworking-the-fame-ii-scheme-to-ensure-companies-use-domestic-components/articleshow/93752352.cms"> reworking</a> the FAME 2 scheme and then<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/electric-scooters-get-a-price-hike-of-up-to-16000-as-fame-subsidy-ends/slidelist/109136771.cms"> ending the scheme</a>, the prices of EVs have increased. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111573138" title="Union Budget 2024: When will it be presented, what time, where to watch and what are various sectors expecting?" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> With Budget 2024, EV makers will look towards the government for the FAME 3 scheme. The government is expected to announce the FAME 3 scheme with an outlay of ₹10,000 crore. While the exact details of the scheme will only be known once the budget is announced, it will be aimed at boosting demand by subsiding the cost, while also promoting local manufacturing of key components. “In the upcoming budget, we advocate for initiatives and subsidy structures without segment caps which will in turn foster innovation and growth across multiple segments. Recent discussions surrounding the implementation of FAME 3 present a notable opportunity to enhance EV adoption in India,” said Niraj Rajmohan, CTO and Co-Founder, Ultraviolette. "Proposed measures to promote e-buses and enhance payment security are crucial for accelerating sustainable transportation. Comprehensive support for the entire EV ecosystem is essential. Anticipated policy reforms like FAME-III and increased funding for critical EV segments will foster holistic industry growth," said Kartikey Hariyani, Founder and CEO, Charge Zone. <h2>Petrol and diesel under GST</h2>One of the frequent demands recently has been to bring petrol and diesel under goods and services tax (GST) to bring the fuel prices under control. Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said that the government will try to bring petrol and diesel under GST. At present, the central government levies excise duty on petrol and diesel, while the state government imposes value-added tax (VAT) and sales tax. <h2>Incentives for hybrids</h2>While electric vehicles have long been subsidised by both state and central governments, hybrids have not received the same love. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier this year<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/gadkari-vows-to-eliminate-petrol-diesel-vehicles-in-india-bats-for-lower-tax-for-hybrid-cars/articleshow/108936085.cms"> pitched</a> for lower GST on hybrid vehicles. “The proposal to reduce GST on hybrid vehicles to 5% and to 12% for flex engines has been sent to the Finance ministry which is considering the requisition,” Gadkari said. Companies like Maruti Suzuki have a strong presence in hybrids and have a lot to gain from incentives, while companies like Tata Motors who do not have hybrid technology may take a hit on EV sales. With the government looking to reduce dependence on petrol and diesel cars, hybrids may finally get some incentives in the upcoming budget. The UP government has already started offering incentives to select hybrid cars. <h2><keyword id="22433272" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="vehicle-scrapping" source="keywords">Vehicle scrapping</keyword></h2>Industry bodies such as the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) have sought incentives for vehicle scrapping. These are vehicles that have crossed a certain age and are being scrapped keeping in mind the pollution. While a policy is already in place, the stakeholders are looking for increased incentives, especially for commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses, which account for most of the emissions. <h2>PLI scheme</h2>Automakers are also looking for increased incentives under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, for both ICE and EVs. Companies want the scheme to be expanded to more components, including tyres, which have seen a lot of changes. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/the-biggest-ipos-in-indias-history-lic-to-paytm-companies-that-have-raised-the-most-funds/articleshow/111690863.cms">The biggest IPOs in India’s history – LIC to Paytm, companies that have raised the most funds</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/its-raining-discounts-maruti-suzuki-hyundai-tata-motors-and-others-offer-discounts-on-cars-as-sales-slowdown/articleshow/111688501.cms">It’s raining discounts – Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata Motors and others offer discounts on cars as sales slowdown</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/zomato-and-swiggy-increase-platform-fee-by-20-food-deliveries-to-get-costlier/articleshow/111758782.cms">Zomato and Swiggy increase platform fee by 20% – food deliveries to get costlier</a>

Budget 2024 Expectations: FAME scheme, aid for vehicle scrapping and other expectations of the auto industry

Mumbai, Global economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions are likely to take <keyword id="46002" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-prices" source="Orion">gold prices</keyword> to a new high of Rs 70,000 per 10 grams this year, making it a safe haven investment and a perfect hedge against inflation, industry body <keyword id="20036539" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="all-india-gem" source="keywords">All India Gem</keyword> and <keyword id="20035996" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="jewellery-domestic-council" source="keywords">Jewellery Domestic Council</keyword> (<keyword id="20014452" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="gjc" source="keywords">GJC</keyword>) said on Tuesday. "The yellow metal's appeal as a safe haven investment and a perfect hedge against inflation is likely to continue in 2024 as consumers face high commodity prices and elevated interest rates worldwide thus overheating financial markets, GJC chairman <keyword id="20036537" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="saiyam-mehra" source="keywords">Saiyam Mehra</keyword> said in a statement. Economic uncertainties and geopolitical tensions suggest a rise in gold prices, which emphasises gold as a vital portfolio hedge during downturns and the prices are likely to see an upsurge of USD 2,300 an ounce or Rs 70,000 per 10 grams in 2024, he said. "If economic conditions worsen, driving increased demand for defensive assets, gold prices could rise, offering a potential upside beyond all past predictions," he added. In 2023, gold outperformed other investment products as safe-haven buying triggered by the United States interest rate pause, geopolitical uncertainties, and high inflation amid a global economic slowdown, <keyword id="20036538" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="mehra" source="keywords">Mehra</keyword> noted. With 13 per cent returns, gold continued to be the most attractive investment option in 2023, he stated. The precious metal saw uninterrupted buying interest from investors, supported by a recent rally in the equity markets during the Christmas season. Consumers' appetite was seen throughout the year across all forms of gold products, such as physical, bonds, and paper gold. "Gold has been a timeless allure for Indian consumers following a similar trend overseas, reaching an all-time high record of Rs 64,460 per 10 grams during this year and outshined other asset classes in 2023. In the international markets, spot gold surpassed the previous record high of USD 2,081 an ounce," Mehra said. This signifies that consumers' appetite for gold is growing and with continuing the global economic uncertainty the prices will certainly catapult gold to much higher levels in 2024, he added.

Gold prices likely to reach around Rs 70,000 per 10 grams in 2024, says industry body

The recently-crowned <keyword id="22332912" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="T20-world-champion" source="keywords">T20 world champion</keyword> <keyword id="19994380" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-cricket-team" source="keywords">Indian cricket team</keyword> has been invited to celebrate its triumph in <keyword id="19926427" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Maldives" source="keywords">Maldives</keyword> by the country's <keyword id="22332913" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tourism-association" source="keywords">tourism association</keyword> and its marketing and public relations corporation. The Rohit Sharma-led Indian team won the trophy in <keyword id="20398397" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Barbados" source="keywords">Barbados</keyword> after beating South Africa by seven runs in the final on June 29. "Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC/ Visit Maldives) in collaboration with the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry (MATI) have jointly extended a special and open invitation to the Indian National Cricket Team," the two bodies said in a joint statement. Ibrahim Shiuree, the CEO and Managing Director of MMPRC, and Ahmed Nazeer, Secretary General of MATI, said they look forward to hosting the team, which returned to India on Thursday last week. It was welcomed by frenzied fans in both Delhi and Mumbai, which also played host to a victory parade featuring lakhs of supporters. "We would be honoured to host you and ensure that your stay is filled with memorable moments, relaxation, and bespoke experiences," Shiuree and Nazeer said in in the joint statement. They said the invitation also highlights the strong and long-standing cultural and sporting ties between the Maldives and India. "It would be an immense honour for the Maldives to welcome the Indian Cricket Team and share in the joy of their triumph," Shiuree further said. "We eagerly await the opportunity to host them, offering the perfect setting for them to create lasting memories of their <keyword id="20400247" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="victory-celebration" source="keywords">victory celebration</keyword>," he added. The team is currently on a break. Its next international assignment is a six-match limited-overs series against <keyword id="19931726" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sri-Lanka" source="keywords">Sri Lanka</keyword> beginning July 27. The series comprises three ODIs and as many T20 Internationals.

Maldives' tourism body invites T20 world champ Indian team to celebrate trophy there

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Juan Pablo Capello co-launched a telehealth ketamine therapy service in 2021.</li><li>But he now says the industry has become a wild wild west with low standards of care.</li></ul>Ketamine-assisted therapy uses the hallucinogen, ketamine, to treat mental health issues. In a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/fda-warns-patients-and-health-care-providers-about-potential-risks-associated-compounded-ketamine">statement</a> published on October 10, 2023, the FDA warned that the drug has not been approved by the agency for the treatment of any psychiatric disorder.This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Juan Pablo Capello, cofounder of telemedicine startup Nue Life Health. Capello, 57, is calling on ketamine-assisted therapy providers to pause operations and elevate their standard of care. The following has been edited for length and clarity.I'm a serial entrepreneur who's tried to focus on building companies that will improve people's lives.Coming out of COVID-19, my partner and I wanted to start a company to help combat the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/potential-mental-health-effects-of-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-6">mental wellness crisis</a>, which is how Nue Life was created.While researching the mental health space, we realized <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/psychedelics-better-leaders-business-executives-2024-3">psychedelics</a> held enormous promise. As I analyzed the various substances and compounds, I noticed that ketamine was a quasi-psychedelic substance that was available and legal with a prescription. It's a common anesthetic.We launched Nue Life, a telehealth ketamine therapy service, in 2021 and facilitated thousands of ketamine experiences for our patients. We shipped <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ketamine-assisted-therapy-is-saving-some-couples-relationships-2022-10">ketamine lozenges</a> to them in small doses and monitored their well-being with data.As the industry matured, I began to feel like companies were putting profits over patients. I didn't want to do the same to keep raising capital for Nue Life, and the company was acquired in 2023.I'm now speaking out, urging the industry to enforce higher standards on who can prescribe ketamine and ensuring patients have been suitably assessed before being prescribed it.I hope <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-perry-death-highlights-risks-of-ketamine-abuse-2023-12">Matthew Perry's death</a> can be a wake-up call. We need to acknowledge bad behavior in the psychedelic medicine space. To remain silent about unethical practices is to jeopardize all the incredible progress made.<h2 id="f1bcdcec-63a5-4fcd-9159-82a5eefb9b29">I wanted to support patients with their mental health but felt increasingly pressured to prioritize profit</h2>The telehealth <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-perry-death-ketamine-backlash-2023-12">ketamine industry</a> emerged after the COVID-19 pandemic made prescribing the drug remotely a possibility. Telehealth services provide patients with access to ketamine therapy from the comfort of their homes.We co-founded Nue Life as a public benefits corporation and wanted to set a new ethical standard in a rapidly commercializing industry.The goal was for patients to use the least amount of ketamine necessary to reset. We only shipped two or three ketamine experiences at a time, and if the person didn't follow our protocols, they'd be suspended from the program. Patient check-ins were mandatory before any additional medication was shipped. This involved patients submitting screening questionnaires, which were thoroughly reviewed before scheduling their follow-up appointments.Patients who were not a good fit for the program or who posed safety concerns were involuntarily discharged. If patients did not meet the necessary criteria, their cases were escalated to our medical directors and prescribers for further review and medical directors would make final calls.In addition to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ketamine-therapy-for-my-depression-and-chronic-pain-2023-4">ketamine</a>, we offered meditation, yoga, and group therapy through our platform.With our patients' consent, we used data from their wearables, such as their Fitbit, Oura ring, and iPhone, to track their sleep and exercise.Tracking data and focusing on holistic care separated Nue Life from other telehealth providers. Other companies might have offered similar elements, but I believe Nue Life was unique in its commitment to patient care.<h2 id="7ed9a14e-96a0-4475-aa16-38ba73439aad">The telehealth industry has shifted in recent years</h2>When we launched Nue Life, I think patients were willing to pay a slight premium for our protocol.But two and a half years later, I felt I couldn't compete with companies offering more doses for less money.We always knew there would be some tension between maintaining ethical patient care and meeting investors' financial expectations. As low-cost providers flooded into the at-home ketamine space, it became very difficult to compete in a way that wasn't solely focused on selling patients more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ketamine-for-anxiety-how-it-helped-me-2023-7">ketamine</a>.We reached a stage with Nue Life where we needed to raise more capital to break even.When I spoke to prospective new investors, they asked me about customer acquisition costs and the company's lifetime value to customers. It felt like I was being asked what I was going to do to sell people more ketamine.I realized I would need to start treating patients like customers to raise this capital, and I didn't want to do that.I decided not to raise additional funding, and the company was acquired by a larger company in October 2023. That decision was difficult. When I sold Nue Life, I thought I was doing the best thing for our patients.<h2 id="594b794f-e34c-4e0c-a2a9-e8e8c1954e16">It feels like the ketamine telehealth industry is in a race to the bottom</h2>While at Nue Life, I witnessed through mystery shoppers how some providers prescribed ketamine without what I believed to be an adequate assessment of patient suitability.Since leaving, people still working for ketamine providers have confided in me about slipping standards. They have shared stories about over-prescribing ketamine and a growing focus on providing ketamine over aftercare and follow-on support.Government bodies are also issuing warnings. The FDA released <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/fda-warns-patients-and-health-care-providers-about-potential-risks-associated-compounded-ketamine">a warning in October 2023</a> about the risks associated with compounded ketamine, including oral formulations. In January 2024, the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-edmo/pr/st-louis-area-doctors-accused-illegally-administering-ketamine">DEA took legal action</a> against St. Louis-area doctors for illegally administering ketamine.It feels like the standard of care in the telehealth ketamine industry is being pushed down not elevated. I felt an obligation to speak up about the economic incentives driving the race to the bottom in this industry.<h2 id="b9c4fdf7-5d82-442f-b9c6-91d424f65446">I hope that Matthew Perry's death will be a wake-up call for the industry</h2>The recent tragic events involving <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-perry-dead-2023-10">Matthew Perry</a> are a stark reminder of the dangers inherent in this industry.I'm saddened by the potential that more cases of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ketamine-therapy-depression-treatment-addictive-drug-clinics-2023-1">addiction to ketamine</a> will inevitably arise. I'm hoping this event will be a wake-up call for the industry.I don't know Perry's medical history, but I'm not surprised that medical practitioners were willing to let him try ketamine. He appears to have liked it and started <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-perry-death-arrest-law-enforcement-investigation-2024-8">getting the drug on the black market.</a> Two doctors have now been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czrgp7pj4g2o">charged</a> over his death.On social media, I've called for a voluntary pause on at-home <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-did-ketamine-therapy-for-my-depression-and-it-helped-2022-4">ketamine therapy</a> while the industry develops minimum standards for care because currently, it's a wild wild west.Standards like mandatory assessments before ketamine is prescribed, ongoing monitoring of patient outcomes, rigorous certification for all practitioners and regular audits and penalties for non-compliance, enforced by federal health agencies and professional associations. The FDA has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/fda-alerts-health-care-professionals-potential-risks-associated-compounded-ketamine-nasal-spray">released multiple warnings</a> on their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/human-drug-compounding/fda-warns-patients-and-health-care-providers-about-potential-risks-associated-compounded-ketamine">website,</a> and the DEA has opened a case mentioned earlier, but this is not enough.I believe no medical practitioner should be insured to prescribe ketamine unless they live up to those minimum standards. This is a vulnerable patient population.Ketamine's positive impact on mental health <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8715255/">is well-documented</a>. The issue is the lack of meaningful regulation for an industry sending <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13580285/warning-mail-order-ketamine-therapy-injectable.html">increasingly powerful psychological medications</a> to patients' homes.The data we collected at Nue Life showed that ketamine therapy can be promising, but sustainable improvements often require therapy, aftercare, and integration, which aren't always economically viable for providers to offer.Ignoring the ethical and medical dilemmas of 'maintenance ketamine therapy' risks prioritizing profits over patient welfare.Editor's note: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/matthew-perry-death-arrest-law-enforcement-investigation-2024-8#:~:text=Inside%20Matthew%20Perry's%20last%20days,big%20one'%20in%20a%20jacuzzi&amp;text=The%20last%2C%20drug%2Daddled%20days,the%20dose%20that%20killed%20him.">Matthew Perry's death</a> was attributed to the "acute effects of ketamine" as well as drowning and coronary artery disease in a report from the Los Angeles County medical examiner's office, according to prior BI reporting. Anne Milgram, a DEA administrator, said in an August press conference that Perry became addicted to intravenous ketamine after seeking treatment for anxiety and depression at a local clinic, BI reported. Five defendants, including two doctors, have been charged in connection with his death.Juan Pablo Cappello is not affiliated with the successor of Nue Life Health, who operates <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nue.life">www.nue.life</a>. The opinions expressed herein are solely Mr. Cappello's and are focused on the at-home ketamine industry and not any one provider in particular.In a statement shared with Business Insider, the current CEO of Nue Life, Daniel Love, said he and Capello agree that patient safety should be prioritized over economic gain. He also said he's never felt pressured by investors to pursue profit over purpose."Our first and foremost goal is to provide safe and affordable access to those in need," he said.Love said Nue Life's current screening procedures involve medical consultations, a review of patient psychiatric history, and an assessment of their home environment. He said that judgements around prescribing medication are made solely by medical providers after conducting a review of data maintained by state Prescription Monitoring Programs.According to Love, the company requires patients to have a "supportive caretaker" during treatments and offers one-to-one coaching and medical provider consultations as part of its Nue Reset program.Love said that Nue Life would welcome clearer standards across the industry, but suggested that Capello's call for an industry-wide pause could impact patient support: "We cannot just hit 'pause' for a patient in the middle of treatment. There are second-order impacts one would need to think through. What would people who need support and help do in the interim?"

I launched a ketamine startup but now feel obligated to speak out against the industry. Matthew Perry's death should be a wake-up call.  

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A top UK doctor has warned people against using weight loss drugs to get "beach body ready."</li><li>Stephen Powis said drugs like Ozempic should not be seen as "a quick fix."</li></ul>One of the UK's top doctors has warned people against taking weight loss drugs such as Ozempic to get "beach body ready" for summer, saying they should not be seen as a "quick fix."The National Health Service (NHS) England medical director Stephen Powis said such drugs needed to be taken with proper medical supervision and warned that they could have potentially dangerous side effects, <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/young-women-buying-ozempic-beach-body-ready-end-up-a-and-e-9rjjrpghn">The Times of London</a> reported.Speaking at the NHS Confederation conference, Powis said: "We know these new drugs will be a powerful part of our arsenal dealing with obesity, but they should not be abused. Buying medication online without a doctor's supervision can lead to complications and dangerous consequences.""Drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy should only be used by people prescribed them for obesity or diabetes. I'm worried about reports that people are misusing them — they are not intended as a quick fix for people trying to get 'beach body ready.'"Vicky Price, an acute physician and president-elect of the Society for Acute Medicine, said some of the more dangerous potential side effects of weight loss drugs bought online included "serious, life-threatening complications" such as "inflammation of the pancreas gland and alterations in blood salt levels."Nevertheless, weight loss drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have soared in popularity over the last year.The boom in Ozempic sales has even helped its maker, Danish company Novo Nordisk, become <a target="_blank" href="https://companiesmarketcap.com/european-union/largest-companies-in-the-eu-by-market-cap/">Europe's biggest company by market cap</a>.It has also markedly impacted the Danish GDP, which <a target="_blank" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/recession-ozempic-wegovy-weight-loss-drugs-denmark-economy-novo-nordisk-2024-3">grew by almost 2% in 2023</a>.Statistics Denmark has said the pharmaceutical industry largely drove the growth."The pharmaceutical industry has been the main driving force in the Danish economy in both the fourth quarter and for the whole of 2023," the agency said. "Other industry and business services also contributed to the progress in the fourth quarter."The active ingredient in Ozempic, semaglutide, functions by mimicking GLP-1, a hormone that the gut produces to help balance blood sugar and that makes you feel full.But the once-a-week injection comes at a cost, with buyers having to shell out around $1,000 a month for the drug.There are currently three semaglutide products approved by the US <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/medications-containing-semaglutide-marketed-type-2-diabetes-or-weight-loss">Food and Drug Administration</a> — Ozempic injection, Wegovy injection, and Rybelsus tablets.All three are only available with a prescription.

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