[india-drug] Double standards of drug companies

["Dr Gopal Dabade" <dabadedr@yahoo.com>]

Double standards of drug companies
*********************************

Deccan Herald, 28th December 2006
DH News Service Bangalore: 

Can you make do with a smaller dose of anti-rabies vaccine costing Rs. 300 instead of Rs. 1,500?  Will the AIDS and cancer drugs find their way into the national list of essential drugs, which can make them affordable? 
Will the drug companies accept uniform pricing of the same drug? Perhaps, the answer to these questions requires a policy level change. But a glimpse into the two books released by All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) in the City on Wednesday will put you face-to-face with the conflicts of interests surrounding the drug market. 
 "The availability of essential drugs in the government and quasi-government health centers is unlikely. A lot of misappropriation in purchase of the medicines, poor and manipulation of records are proof enough. The Centre has to take drug pricing seriously," rued former Lokayukta Justice N Venkatachala, who released the two books titled, 'A lay person's guide to medicines' and 'A study on drugs for treating anemia.' 
Rabies scare 
"Drug companies, which promote anti-rabies vaccine as both intradermal and intramuscular in developed countries, label them as intramuscular in India. Even the doctors don't care to give a smaller dose intradermally, which is equally effective but costs much less. Call it double standards of MNCs or the failure of the drug controller system in India. We suspect many rabies deaths go unreported," said Dr Anant Phadke, AIDAN. 
Dr Mira Shiva of AIDAN urged the government to work towards withdrawal of irrational drug combinations and to make essential drugs affordable and to disperse unbiased drug information. 
"Overpricing of drugs is a concern as competition and entry of big players has not brought cost relief, which defies the law of economics. We want the government to include top 300 drugs that are in demand under the price control list," said S Srinivasan of Locost, an NGO. 
 
Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec282006/city1484620061228.asp

Dr Gopal Dabade,
57, Tejaswinagar,
Dharwad 580 002
Tel 0836-2461722
Cell (0)9448862270
www.jagruti.org