E-DRUG: Glaxo to pay $3 bn for largest health care fraud in US (7)
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[I have a feeling that it is not just GSK that might be accused of the practices raised in this message, neither is it just Kenya that is affected. Regulatory bodies and the laws/regulations themselves need to be strengthened to help control pharmaceutical promotion that leads to irrational use of medicines as other E-Druggers have pointed out. Moderator]
Dear All
This is good news, but for us in Kenya, this is not fresh news. GSK has had running battles with Kenyan civil society and pharmaceutical distributors regarding their differential pricing policies. GSK has been selling their drugs in Kenya at prices higher than in other East African countries, or even in Europe. In other instances, GSK was found to be selling drugs already withdrawn in Europe in African countries, Kenya included. I hope that this will be a lesson to GSK. In Kenya, GSK literally pays prescribers to prescribe their products, and doctors even endorse the prescription with "do not substitute", leading to patients paying higher prices, yet cheaper generics are available. This has always raised a question on the morality of the company.
Dr Kamamia wa Murichu
Nairobi-based chairman of the Kenya Pharmaceutical Distributors Association