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<DIV><B>From:</B> <A title=drdabade@gmail.com
href="mailto:drdabade@gmail.com">Gopal Dabade</A> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Times New Roman">Drug Action Forum - Karnataka, (</FONT><A
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"
href="http://daf-k.cjb.net/ " target=_blank> <FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=#800080>http://daf-k.cjb.net/ </FONT></A><FONT face="Times New Roman">) an
independent, not for profit, non government organisation based in </FONT><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN style="COLOR: #550055">India</SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: #550055"> 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. A copy of the study can be had from us (see below).
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify"><SPAN
style="COLOR: #550055"><BR><FONT face="Times New Roman">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
</FONT></SPAN><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="COLOR: #550055">India</SPAN><SPAN style="COLOR: #550055">. 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.
</SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: #550055"><BR><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Copies of this publication can be sent. For details
please contact:-<BR>Dr Gopal Dabade,<BR></FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="COLOR: #550055"><A onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"
href="mailto:drdabade@gmail.com" target=_blank><FONT
face="Times New Roman">drdabade@gmail.com</FONT></A></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: #550055"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"
href="http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan42007/editpage22538200713.asp+"
target=_blank>http://deccanherald.com/deccanherald/jan42007/editpage22538200713.asp
</A></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">DECCAN</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt"> HERALD,
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt">4th January 2007</SPAN> <SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 9.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="COLOR: #550055"><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><SPAN style="COLOR: #400080"><FONT
face="Times New Roman">Medication: Out of reach of people</FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><I><FONT face="Times New Roman">Despite
earning huge profits, pharmaceutical companies do not care for public
health.</FONT></I></B></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">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. <SPAN></SPAN><BR><BR><SPAN></SPAN>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.
<BR></FONT></P>
<P><FONT face="Times New Roman">Profit motive </FONT></P>
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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><A
onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)"
href="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"
target=_blank></A><FONT
face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">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. <BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>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.
<SPAN></SPAN><SPAN></SPAN><BR><BR>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.
<BR><BR>Forced poverty <BR><BR>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.
</FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"></FONT> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman">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. <BR><BR>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. <BR><BR>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.</FONT><BR></P></BODY></HTML>