E-DRUG: Medication Out of reach of people (2)
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Hi
I agree with Dr Gopal that irrational medicine combinations are available in Indian market and these are either prescribed by the doctors who have been never taught about these or purchased OTC by the ignorant consumers, who feel they are educated.
It requires great political will to cleanse the system, which is lacking. Since the pharmaceutical industry is bent upon manufacturing the irrational combinations and bannable medicines, to keep the money flowing, India continues to have medicines, which are of doubtful value.
During a recent survey conducted by us for WHO-HAI, the results of which are on the web, we found that the mark ups in case of medicines were far beyond 40-50% as quoted by Dr Dabhade. The very fact that if the price patients pay for the same medicine varies >1000 fold shows that at least that much is certainly the mark up. Further we also found that many innovator brands were priced lower than the most selling generics. The market making and medicine promotion certainly works better than rationalists!
Dr Vijay Thawani,
14-A, Jeevan Jyoti, Clarke Town,
Nagpur-440 004, India.
Associate Professor in Pharmacology,
Govt. Medical College, Nagpur-440 003, India.
Net group: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/netrum
Blog: http://vijaythawani.blogspot.com
Land line:(Res)+91-712-2522977
Cell: +91-9860006147
vijaythawani@rediffmail.com