PHA-Exchange> Medication: Out of reach of people

[Gopal Dabade]

Dear friends,


Drug Action Forum - Karnataka, (http://daf-k.cjb.net/) an independent, not
for profit, non government organisation based in India has brought out a
publication titled "A Study On Drugs For Treating Anaemia - A Campaign For
Access to Essential Drugs" based on a study that it conducted.


This publication of 54 pages is an attempt to bring to the notice of the
consumer action groups, the plethora of antianaemia drugs available for the
treatment of anaemia in India. It gives sound guidance on selecting rational
antianaemia preparations and reveals the inaction by the state authorities
towards making these essential drugs available to the people who need them.
It also reveals the profit maximising behaviors of the drug industry which
includes the promotion of irrational, sometimes harmful and expensive
medicines to the unsuspecting and helpless consumer. An article regarding
this publication had appeared in a local paper and is copied below.


Copies of this publication can be sent. For details please contact:-
Dr Gopal Dabade,
Drug Action Forum - Karnataka,
57, Tejaswinagar,
Dharwad, 580 002, INDIA
+91 836 2461722
09448862270
drdabade at gmail.com



http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan42007/editpage22538200713.asp
<http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan42007/editpage22538200713.asp+>

DECCAN HERALD, 4th January 2007



*Medication: Out of reach of people*

*Despite earning huge profits, pharmaceutical companies do not care for
public health.*

Nutritional anaemia is rampant and a major public health problem, mostly
affecting women and children and is a sensitive indicator of poverty. The
treatment for this problem is also simple. A preparation containing iron in
the form of ferrous sulphate with folic acid for a duration of two to three
months is the most effective treatment, which is well established in the
medical field. But the issue is not that simple. In fact, as per a study,
there are hardly any proper drugs to treat this problem. In other words
there is a poverty of drugs to treat the condition that affects the poor and
the marginalised.

A study by Drug Action Forum-Karnataka has revealed that drugs available in
the market to treat anaemia are unscientific, ie they do not match any
standard textbook medicine or the World Health Organisation's (WHO)
recommendations. While textbooks and the WHO advise that the scientific way
of treating anaemia needs only ferrous sulphate with folic acid, drug
companies add up a whole lot of things to this.




Profit motive

<http://www.online.citibank.co.in/portal/citiinforms.jsp?form_id=newnriappform&Site=deccanherald&Creative=copybanner&Section=ROS&Agency_Code=DBS&Campaign_Code=RCAO&Product_Code=RCA&eOfferCode=DCHCB180>



For example, Vitamin C is added; drug manufacturing companies argue that it
enhances absorption of ferrous sulphate, ie iron. Textbooks explain that
such a combination is not only useless but may even prove counter productive
as this may unnecessarily increase chances of side effects of iron and give
no added advantage. Apart from this, some companies add Vitamin B-12 to
iron. A popular misconception among people is that it gives strength! The
list of items that the drug companies add goes on. Even zinc, copper,
Vitamin B-6, alcohol and haemoglobin are added.

Why do drug companies add up unnecessary ingredients? The only reason that
comes to our mind is that they want to make more profit. It only adds up to
the cost of the drug.

Most of the preparations to treat anaemia are sold in the capsule form,
which again is not advisable. Tablet form is most suited. The cost of the
drugs is several times higher (even 45 times higher) than the scientific
ones. Scientific and correct preparations are not available with most local
chemists. Local chemists argue that it is not profitable enough to keep such
drugs, as they do not have a good profit margin. This is a good example to
show that market forces cannot take care of people's health.

One wonders if the drug companies in India are not making enough profit to
manufacture such primary drugs. The Indian drug industry is the most profit
making one today. It is one of the leading global players in manufacturing
drugs — fourth in terms of volume and 13th in terms of production. Despite
such huge profits, the industry has been reluctant to manufacture drugs
needed to treat anaemia and other common complaints.

Forced poverty

The National Sample Survey (NSS) shows that "one quarter of hospitalised
Indians fall below the poverty line due to hospitalisation and drug related
costs". A substantial amount of money of the patient is spent to buy drugs.
According to an estimate, it is 40 to 50 per cent, which is almost double
that in the US and other European countries.



It is to be noted that in spite of such a successful and highly profit
making Indian drug industry, 65 per cent of the Indian population does not
have access to basic, simple and essential medicines. This in reality means
lack of medicines to treat even simple symptoms like fever.

These life saving, essential drugs which could be manufactured at low cost
are not available at even government health centres. There is often a
shortage, which is outrageous, as the poor are compelled to go to government
health centres.

These issues should attract urgent intervention of the government for a
public health cause. So, till the government wakes up people will continue
to be anaemic.



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