E-DRUG: Withdrawal of antipsychotics in Pakistan
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[Copied from The Lancet 4 September 1999]:
Anger over dangerous withdrawal of antipsychotics from Pakistan
Thousands of patients with psychiatric disorders in Pakistan have been
experiencing a nightmare since a number of pharmaceutical companies stopped
supplying several essential antipsychotic antidepressants and
anticholinergic drugs to the country.
The current drug freeze instituted by multinational companies has further
marginalised these patients in a country where psychiatric health services
are shambolic and where such patients continue to be socially stigmatised.
No longer available in Pakistan
The shortage, which started almost 6 months ago, is the worst in the
history of the country. On Aug 27, Pakistan's Psychiatric Society condemned
the shortage, with a spokesperson saying "it reminds one of the medieval
ages".
"The shortage could result in the increase of incarcerated patients which
will stretch the already meagre resources", said Saeed Farooq, a represe
ntative of the society. He warned that the non-availability of these drugs
could result in patients being a danger to themselves or others, which may
increase the crime rate in the months to come.
The withdrawn drugs include: GlaxoWellcome's Kemadrin (procyclidine);
Rhone-Poulenc Rorer's Largactil (chloropromazine); Merck Sharp and Dohme's
Tryptanol (amitriptyline); and Novartis' Melleril (thioridazine). All the
drugs are manufactured by multinational companies with almost no national
competitors.
The companies are demanding price increases but the government is blocking
such a move. Every time these companies try to raise prices and the
government resists, the companies resort to cutting the drug supply, which
is a violation of the 1976 Drug Act.
On Aug 27, a senior official at the Ministry of Health told The Lancet that
the government is actively tackling the problem by encouraging national
pharmaceutical companies to start manufacturing these drugs so that the
effect of multinational companies' monopoly might be minimised.
Meanwhile, the black-marketeers have taken advantage of the situation and
are selling these drugs at inflated prices.
Khabir Ahmad
[submitted by KM]
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