E-drug: Distinction between cosmetics and pharmaceutical products (cont)
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Nepal has a formal National Drug Policy (NDP) endorsed by the
Government and has implemented the key elements of NDP including the
essential drugs programme for years.
However, Mr. Karkee understands the important issues of conflict between
the essential drugs program in the public/government sector and the
private sector.
He cannot avoid the misperceptions deriving from the private
practices where profit motives always dictate the way how private
practices (including prescribing) operate. In many countries/health
settings where the health and drugs expenditure from private sectors
become predominant, with all of the expenses paid directly out of
patient pocket. Profit-driven
private practices become very common and apply the norms of free
trade and free business competition. Public sector expenses only
contribute a
minority. Misconceptions flourish that the essential drug concept
or NDP is only applicable as a norm for the formal world. The norms
in the private
practices, mostly driven by profits and business competition, dictate
these ingrained misleading beliefs in the society.
This is the other new challenge of the essential drug concept in dealing
with current trends of privatization in health sectors, especially in the
micro level environment.
We have some studies on behavioural interventions in prescribing
practices with qualitative technique in Indonesia. We were confronted
with a lot of misleading beliefs and ingrained practices like this.
Best regards
Budiono Santoso
Drug Action Programme
WHO/WPRO
Manila, Philippines
Budiono Santoso <SANTOSOB@wpro.who.int>
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