E-drug: "Priority and Misused Drugs in Nepal"(cont)
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The definition of inappropriate drugs, ineffective drugs and needlessly
expensive drugs seems to be done by Dr. Kafle and his colleagues. And it is
not clear whether the authorities (e.g. drug selection committee or any
other equivalent department) agree on this classification or not.
-If they agree, I refer to the question raised by Valerio Reggi,
i.e., how these drugs become available in the market?
- If they do not, they may have their own justifications. This
disagreement between the authorities and other organizations or individuals
who are working in the field of in essential drug and rational drug use,
may exist in some other countries also.
Anyway, one of the important outcomes of the study is that inappropriate
drugs, ineffective drugs and needlessly expensive drugs are available in
the market and are being used. Figures showing the percentage of
prescriptions containing these drugs may reveal only the top of the ice
berg, i.e., it is not known how much of these drugs are dispensed without
prescription or used in self-treatments. If possible, a study that shows
the value (or at least the number) of these drugs out of the total value
(or number) of drugs in the market, will define the extent of the problem.
What interventions are feasible?
Thank you,
Dr. Ahmad F. Danish
Former Associate Prof. in Pharmacology
Faculty of Medicine, Kabul, Afghanistan
e-mail : afdanish@hotmail.com
Fax: +92-91-816074
[The question of how the inappropriate drugs become available on the Nepal
market has been raised by several people. Perhaps Professor Kafle could
expand on this point a little as well as describe any interventions that
may have been considered in Nepal. BS Co-moderator]
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