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Unmanned aircraft patrol
THE Mossos d’Esquadra is to deploy an unmanned aircraft to monitor marihuana plantations, train lines and other critical areas across Catalonia.
The Mossos d’Esquadra will strengthen its Drone Unit with a new device, an unmanned, drone style, fixedwing aircraft.
This new aircraft will be used to patrol critical areas such as the AVE train lines, the coastline, and also in water areas to prevent marihuana plantations, which are often connected to rivers and ponds, due to the need for constant irrigation.
According to a news source on
Thursday, April 13, this unit, made up of a dozen officers and pilots works throughout the territory of Catalonia, as it’s expected to further expand its operational capacity.
Officials have now started a process to issue tenders in order to purchase this fixedwing drone.
Police in Spain have decided to start using these drones due to shortcomings in the present multi rotor devices that they use.
Coastal patrols can also be planned to detect and anticipate dangerous situations such weather phenomena or potential waste spills at sea or on the banks of rivers.
Warning of drug shortages
THE Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS), which reports to the Ministry of Health, has reported supply problems with medicine used in the treatment of severe hypertension. Specifically, it is the drug ‘Loniten 10 mg tablets, 30 tablets’, from the company Pfizer.
According to the AEMPS, this drug will have until at least July 1, a ‘controlled distribution’ through the Medicines in Special Situations Service due to the fact that there are ‘limited units’ currently available in pharmacies throughout Spain.
Loniten belongs to a group of medicines called vasodilators. It is used for the treatment of very high blood pressure or severe hypertension.
Although its active substance is minoxidil, it is not indicated to promote scalp hair growth. Only the topical form of minoxidil is recommended for this use.
Currently, the AEMPS lists on its website problems with the shortages of around 750 different medicines.
The AEMPS is the body responsible for taking the necessary measures to ensure that, when such tensions in the supply chain occur, no patient’s treatment is interrupted.
