E-DRUG: New report on price, availability and affordability of medicines for chronic diseases (3)
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Hi
The WHO/HAI survey had many interesting findings.Here are some interesting facts from India:
1. Not all innovator medicines were costly. In many cases the most selling generic was costlier than the innovator brand which held the patent. Yet such generics were selling more because of huge mark ups and marketing schemes for private pharmacies. So it is the margin of profit which decides which product will be pushed to patients.
2. The impression that countries producing cheaper generics may be having better availability of such medicines in respective countries was not found to be true. India is known to be cheap producer of ARV medicines but the availability of these was very poor.
3. The availability of medicines in public sector hospitals was dismal. Even vital, life saving medicines were not found in Governmental facilities eg. West Bengal.
4. Public (Govt hospitals) procurement of medicines was economical.
5. The price patients paid (PPP) was not uniform in same State.
6. The medicine pricing as maximum retial price + Local Taxes Extra provided great leeway to private pharmacies in adding any amount under local taxes extra. The very purpose of "maximum" is defeated if "extra" is added! Thankfully the Govt of India has decided to away with "Local taxes Extra" but it remains to be seen when the patient interest will be protected.
7. Some cities (eg. Akola in Maharashtra) with lesser population, and in lower economic categorisation, had better medicine availability in private pharmacies. Since medicine availability in private pharmacies is linked to sales, it indicates that some populations definitely bought more medicines.
8. Maximum sale in private pharmacies was observed to be without proper prescriptions and cash memos. How this is being accounted is anybody's guess.
9. Most of the private pharmacies did not have any trained pharmacist eventhough it existed on paper.
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
URL: vijaythawani@blogspot.com
Land line:(Res)+91-0712-2522977
Cell: +91-9372302436