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Difference between Medicine brought from Chemist Store and Generic Medicine Store - a Video Going Viral
Difference between Medicine brought from Chemist Store and Generic Medicine Store - a Video Going Vi
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Night_Hawk
Siasat.pk - Blogger
Branded vs generic drugs
From the Newspaper — Published Apr 15, 2015 06:32am
WHEN it comes to drug information, less can be dangerous. Generic prescription medicines often lack information on certain side-effects.
In one of the largest conducted study on 1,049 generic drugs, 68pc of drugs had differed from that of their brand name equivalents. Often when you are switched
from a branded drug to a generic drug, you think that it’s going to work the same way. But quite often you find that it does not help your cause either. This in part is attributed to the difference in bio-availability, peak plasma concentration, half life and even shelf life of both the versions of the drug.
Original drugs go through a rigorous regulatory process before entering the market and can never be matched by generic drugs.
There is a long time and effort required to bring a research molecule (branded drug) to the market. Pharmaceutical giants spend billions of dollars in research and development of a drug. Once the drug hits the market, the companies again spend a huge amount in advertising and marketing campaigns so that they can establish the drug’s concept with all the stakeholders concerned.
These two processes ultimately push prices on the higher side as pharmaceutical companies try to make up for the spent amount.
Conversely, for a generic version of a drug, also known as a me-too drug, there is no research process required and also the advertising cost is negligible, thanks to all the work done by innovative drug manufacturers who have already established the concept behind the drug. This ultimately allows generic companies to keep prices on the lower side.
Most importantly, in any drug there are two types of ingredients: first is the active ingredient, which is responsible for the function of the drug, and the second is the inactive ingredient, also known as excipients.
The FDA has made it compulsory that the active ingredient of a brand and its generic name must be the same. It is fairly common to have a slightly different reaction to a generic and a branded drug. That’s because beyond five per cent of a pill that is the active ingredient and required to be identical across versions, pills are packed with starch or other fillers that differ from product to product.
Normally, doctor’s in established countries opt for branded version of drugs and they don’t even want to take a chance with generics as you never know how they will react.
If you have been switched from a branded drug to a generic one and you feel that the response is different, consult your doctor as generic drugs are not always comparable to the original drugs where efficacy and safety are concerned.
Kaleem Ahmed
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015
From the Newspaper — Published Apr 15, 2015 06:32am
WHEN it comes to drug information, less can be dangerous. Generic prescription medicines often lack information on certain side-effects.
In one of the largest conducted study on 1,049 generic drugs, 68pc of drugs had differed from that of their brand name equivalents. Often when you are switched
from a branded drug to a generic drug, you think that it’s going to work the same way. But quite often you find that it does not help your cause either. This in part is attributed to the difference in bio-availability, peak plasma concentration, half life and even shelf life of both the versions of the drug.
Original drugs go through a rigorous regulatory process before entering the market and can never be matched by generic drugs.
There is a long time and effort required to bring a research molecule (branded drug) to the market. Pharmaceutical giants spend billions of dollars in research and development of a drug. Once the drug hits the market, the companies again spend a huge amount in advertising and marketing campaigns so that they can establish the drug’s concept with all the stakeholders concerned.
These two processes ultimately push prices on the higher side as pharmaceutical companies try to make up for the spent amount.
Conversely, for a generic version of a drug, also known as a me-too drug, there is no research process required and also the advertising cost is negligible, thanks to all the work done by innovative drug manufacturers who have already established the concept behind the drug. This ultimately allows generic companies to keep prices on the lower side.
Most importantly, in any drug there are two types of ingredients: first is the active ingredient, which is responsible for the function of the drug, and the second is the inactive ingredient, also known as excipients.
The FDA has made it compulsory that the active ingredient of a brand and its generic name must be the same. It is fairly common to have a slightly different reaction to a generic and a branded drug. That’s because beyond five per cent of a pill that is the active ingredient and required to be identical across versions, pills are packed with starch or other fillers that differ from product to product.
Normally, doctor’s in established countries opt for branded version of drugs and they don’t even want to take a chance with generics as you never know how they will react.
If you have been switched from a branded drug to a generic one and you feel that the response is different, consult your doctor as generic drugs are not always comparable to the original drugs where efficacy and safety are concerned.
Kaleem Ahmed
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015
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Wow like other mafias her we see the Drug Mafias and they are all over the world including Pakistan on top of other mafias like Land mafia, Water mafia, Tanker Mafia, Power Mafia etc. etc. and talking about land mafia in Karachi we use to get a tanker of water for Rs. 2500 max till last summer but not it is Rs. 3500-4000 and the reason was told by the Water Tanker guy that for each tanker they have to pay Rs. 1500 to the Water & Sewerage Board employees and after that the Police men at the Water Hydrants take Rs. 500 per tanker so here we have first hand experience of Water mafia in Karachi and all these mafias have share with the higher ups in the government departments as without their help and knowledge these mafias cannot run. Shame on all this system and shame on these corrupt government and their officials.
Branded vs generic drugs
From the Newspaper — Published Apr 15, 2015 06:32am
WHEN it comes to drug information, less can be dangerous. Generic prescription medicines often lack information on certain side-effects.
In one of the largest conducted study on 1,049 generic drugs, 68pc of drugs had differed from that of their brand name equivalents. Often when you are switched
from a branded drug to a generic drug, you think that it’s going to work the same way. But quite often you find that it does not help your cause either. This in part is attributed to the difference in bio-availability, peak plasma concentration, half life and even shelf life of both the versions of the drug.
Original drugs go through a rigorous regulatory process before entering the market and can never be matched by generic drugs.
There is a long time and effort required to bring a research molecule (branded drug) to the market. Pharmaceutical giants spend billions of dollars in research and development of a drug. Once the drug hits the market, the companies again spend a huge amount in advertising and marketing campaigns so that they can establish the drug’s concept with all the stakeholders concerned.
These two processes ultimately push prices on the higher side as pharmaceutical companies try to make up for the spent amount.
Conversely, for a generic version of a drug, also known as a me-too drug, there is no research process required and also the advertising cost is negligible, thanks to all the work done by innovative drug manufacturers who have already established the concept behind the drug. This ultimately allows generic companies to keep prices on the lower side.
Most importantly, in any drug there are two types of ingredients: first is the active ingredient, which is responsible for the function of the drug, and the second is the inactive ingredient, also known as excipients.
The FDA has made it compulsory that the active ingredient of a brand and its generic name must be the same. It is fairly common to have a slightly different reaction to a generic and a branded drug. That’s because beyond five per cent of a pill that is the active ingredient and required to be identical across versions, pills are packed with starch or other fillers that differ from product to product.
Normally, doctor’s in established countries opt for branded version of drugs and they don’t even want to take a chance with generics as you never know how they will react.
If you have been switched from a branded drug to a generic one and you feel that the response is different, consult your doctor as generic drugs are not always comparable to the original drugs where efficacy and safety are concerned.
Kaleem Ahmed
Islamabad
Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2015
اس ڈاکٹر نے جو بات کی ہے وہ یہ کہ کمپنیاں اشہتارات اور ڈاکٹر کو تحائف کی شکل میں جو پیسے دیتی ہیں اسکی وجہ بھی دوائیاں مہنگی ہو جاتیں ہیں۔
جب گورنمنٹ کاٹینڈر ہوتا ہے اسمیں یہی کمپنیاں برانڈڈ دوائیاں بھی مارکیٹ سے آدھے سے بھی کم قیمت پہ دیتی ہے۔ کیوں بلا؟ دوائی کمپنی کے سٹور سے نکلنے سے لیکر کیمسٹ کے سٹور تک پہنچنے میں بھی 50 ٪ سے زیادہ مہنگی ہو جاتی ہے کیونکہ ٹرانسپورٹ کے خرچے کے علاوہ ڈسٹری بیوٹر کو 10-5٪ کمیشن، پھر ہو سیلر بھی 5-10 کمیشن، پھر کمیسٹ کو بھی 20- 10 ٪(بعض پہ تو 50-30٪ تک بھی کمیشن ہوتا ہے) کمیشن۔ اور یہ سارے کمیشن ایک غریب خریدنےوالا دیتا ہے۔
تو اگر دوائی جنرک نا بھی ہو پھر وہ بھی مارکیٹ سے سستی ہو سکتی ہے جناب۔
اور جنرک دوائیوں کے اتنے سائیڈ افیکٹ نہیں ہوتے جتنے اس کالم میں لکھے ہیں۔ جنرک گولیوں کو پیراسیٹامول کہتے ہیں اور یہ بھی کسی رجسٹرڈکمپنی میں بنتی ہیں کوئی حکیم گھر میں نہیں بناتا اور ایک کو کہتے ہیں پیناڈول۔ دونوں میں کیا فرق ہیں بلا؟ دونوں بننے کے ایک جیسے مراحل سے گزرتیں ہیں۔ لیکن کیا کرے ہر ایک کو اپنی روزی کی پڑی ہے؟ آپکو بھی معلوم ہے کہ یہ فارماسیوٹیکل کمپنیاں اور ڈاکٹرز کتنے بڑے مافیاں ہیں؟ جو کسی بھی کالم نویس یا اخبار والے کو پیسے دیں کے ایسے کالم لکھوا سکتے ہیں۔ اگر ایسا آرٹیکل کسی سائنسی میگزین میں مناسب ریفرنسز کیساتھ ہوتا پھر بھی کچھ بنتی۔
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ریسرچ اور ڈیولپمنٹ سے زیادہ وہ ، مارکیٹنگ، اشہتارات اور تحائف پہ خرچہ کرتے ہیں۔
ویسے ریسرچ ڈویلپمنٹ پہ خرچہ وہاں ہوتا جب کوئی نئی دوائی بنانی ہو یا ایک دوائی میں مسٔلہ ہو۔ پرانی دوائی پہ تو وہ خرچہ پھر نہیں ہوتا۔
Night_Hawk
Siasat.pk - Blogger
Generic medicines flooding market sans tests, research
Mazhar Tufail
Friday, January 27, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government and pharmaceutical companies are playing with the lives of people as contrary to the common practice of registering the generic medicines after proper research, medicines are being registered even without the bio-equivalence test and clinical trials.
Thus the generic medicines produced by the local companies are not as effective as the original medicines, an investigation by The News has revealed.
“Whichever molecule hits market as a medicine is registered after proper research by any pharmaceutical company and this research process is very difficult, complex and laborious,” said Dr Mushtaq Mangrio, an American doctor of Pakistani origin, when contacted for comments. “This research is a lengthy process and usually it takes at least 12 years,” he elaborated.
Dr Mushtaq Mangrio said that the patent of the medicine produced after proper research is reserved and when the patent expires, any company could produce this medicine but with the condition that the product is effective equivalent to the original medicine called generic medicine.
According to the Draft Drugs (Bio-Study) Rules 2011, bio-equivalence means the absence of a significant difference in the rate and extent to which the active ingredient or active moiety in pharmaceutical equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives becomes available at the site of drug action when administered at the same molar dose under similar conditions in an appropriately designed study.
Two products are bioequivalent when they produce such similar plasma concentrations of the active ingredient that their clinical effects can be expected to be the same. In a standard bio-equivalence test both products are administered on separate occasions to healthy volunteers.
Bio-equivalence is then determined by comparing the peak plasma concentration, time to achieve a maximal concentration and the extent of absorption.
These studies are well suited to identifying potentially significant differences in the delivery characteristics of the active substance of different products. The same bioequivalence principles apply to new drugs when different formulations of an active ingredient are compared.
“In Pakistan, the generic medicines are registered on the basis of formula only and that too even without the bioequivalence test and clinical trial as no government laboratory in Pakistan has the facility of bioequivalence test,” Dr Mushtaq Mangrio said.
“Because of this, there is a common complaint in Pakistan that the generic medicines of Pakistani companies are not as effective as the original medicines and thus the locally produced medicines are called counterfeit medicines,” he added.
When contacted for comments, another health expert endorsed the views of Dr Mushtaq Mangrio and said on condition of anonymity that both the Pakistan government and local pharmaceutical companies are playing with the lives and hard-earned money of the people.
The health expert remarked that like other sectors, corruption is rampant in vital pharmaceutical sector too and almost everybody having knowledge about the pharmaceutical production and healthcare system is aware of the problem but nobody is ready to heed to the genuine problem of Pakistani people.
Since the federal ministry of health has been abolished as part of the implementation of the 18th constitutional amendment, the Cabinet Division now looks after the important issues related with the health sector. When the relevant officials in the Cabinet Division were approached, they asked this correspondent to contact the Drug Controller Department, where an official who identified himself as Mr Tanvir told The News that nearly 1,100 original molecules are currently registered in Pakistan as compared to around 50,000-60,000 registered generic medicines.
The official also confirmed the absence of bio-equivalence test facility at the government level, saying that every country does not have this facility officially, the major universities and laboratories are benefited from and the same is happening in Pakistan.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-89671-Generic-medicines-flooding-market-sans--tests-research
Mazhar Tufail
Friday, January 27, 2012
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government and pharmaceutical companies are playing with the lives of people as contrary to the common practice of registering the generic medicines after proper research, medicines are being registered even without the bio-equivalence test and clinical trials.
Thus the generic medicines produced by the local companies are not as effective as the original medicines, an investigation by The News has revealed.
“Whichever molecule hits market as a medicine is registered after proper research by any pharmaceutical company and this research process is very difficult, complex and laborious,” said Dr Mushtaq Mangrio, an American doctor of Pakistani origin, when contacted for comments. “This research is a lengthy process and usually it takes at least 12 years,” he elaborated.
Dr Mushtaq Mangrio said that the patent of the medicine produced after proper research is reserved and when the patent expires, any company could produce this medicine but with the condition that the product is effective equivalent to the original medicine called generic medicine.
According to the Draft Drugs (Bio-Study) Rules 2011, bio-equivalence means the absence of a significant difference in the rate and extent to which the active ingredient or active moiety in pharmaceutical equivalents or pharmaceutical alternatives becomes available at the site of drug action when administered at the same molar dose under similar conditions in an appropriately designed study.
Two products are bioequivalent when they produce such similar plasma concentrations of the active ingredient that their clinical effects can be expected to be the same. In a standard bio-equivalence test both products are administered on separate occasions to healthy volunteers.
Bio-equivalence is then determined by comparing the peak plasma concentration, time to achieve a maximal concentration and the extent of absorption.
These studies are well suited to identifying potentially significant differences in the delivery characteristics of the active substance of different products. The same bioequivalence principles apply to new drugs when different formulations of an active ingredient are compared.
“In Pakistan, the generic medicines are registered on the basis of formula only and that too even without the bioequivalence test and clinical trial as no government laboratory in Pakistan has the facility of bioequivalence test,” Dr Mushtaq Mangrio said.
“Because of this, there is a common complaint in Pakistan that the generic medicines of Pakistani companies are not as effective as the original medicines and thus the locally produced medicines are called counterfeit medicines,” he added.
When contacted for comments, another health expert endorsed the views of Dr Mushtaq Mangrio and said on condition of anonymity that both the Pakistan government and local pharmaceutical companies are playing with the lives and hard-earned money of the people.
The health expert remarked that like other sectors, corruption is rampant in vital pharmaceutical sector too and almost everybody having knowledge about the pharmaceutical production and healthcare system is aware of the problem but nobody is ready to heed to the genuine problem of Pakistani people.
Since the federal ministry of health has been abolished as part of the implementation of the 18th constitutional amendment, the Cabinet Division now looks after the important issues related with the health sector. When the relevant officials in the Cabinet Division were approached, they asked this correspondent to contact the Drug Controller Department, where an official who identified himself as Mr Tanvir told The News that nearly 1,100 original molecules are currently registered in Pakistan as compared to around 50,000-60,000 registered generic medicines.
The official also confirmed the absence of bio-equivalence test facility at the government level, saying that every country does not have this facility officially, the major universities and laboratories are benefited from and the same is happening in Pakistan.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-89671-Generic-medicines-flooding-market-sans--tests-research
Night_Hawk
Siasat.pk - Blogger
[h=1]Counterfeit medicines causing unwarranted deaths: Dr Junaid[/h]
May 5, 2013 BY STAFF REPORT
Caretaker Sindh Health Minister Dr Junaid Ali Shah said at a seminar organised on World Health Day that sale of spurious and counterfeit medicines in the country is a big problem as many unwarranted deaths occur due to these drugs. He said the civil society, media, consumers and medicine manufacturers should join hands to stop the unchecked use of fake medicines in the country.
The seminar, titled “How to promote use of genuine medicines” was organised by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA).
PPMA Chairman Jawed Akhai, former chairmen Dr Kaiser Waheed and Zahid Saeed, South Zone Chairman Nadeem Chandna, Prof Tipu Sultan, Dow Medical University Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Umar Farooq, Drug Regulatory Authority Controller Dr Obaid Ali, National Forum for Environment and Health President Naeem Qureshi, Hira Baloch and Dr Qaiser Sajjad also spoke on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Junaid said there should be strict punishment on the selling of fake drugs. He underlined the need for strict implementation of existing drug laws while expressing his regrets that the previous provincial assembly did not pass important legislations like Health Policy Bill and Thalassemia Bill. He demanded strict action to be taken against the bureaucracy for showing a pathetic performance and mismanagement of the health sector. He further said that the health sector had not been given importance in the country.
Earlier, while speaking on the occasion, PPMA chairman said a permanent chief executive should be appointed at the Drugs Regulatory Authority and a temporary system of operations would not be tolerated within the authority. He stressed the need for running the authority according to DRA laws.
He deplored that many influential people were involved in the business of fake medicines manufacturing and were receiving backing from different political parties and officers of government departments. Meanwhile, he said that the association had launched a campaign to create awareness among the masses against the use of fake medicines.
Former PPMA chairman Zahid Saeed said all chemists and druggists should be registered with the drug distributors. All chemists should be made to follow the terms and conditions set by the respective authority. He also said that a pharmacist should be available at every chemist shop, while adding drug inspectors should be provided with better working conditions.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Tipu said about 40 percent medicines being sold in the country were counterfeit and Pakistan was one among 13 countries of the world where fake medicines were being manufactured in large quantities. There was severe punishment for possessing 100 grams of heroin, but no punishment was awarded to anyone when a truck load of fake medicines was confiscated anywhere in the country, he added.
He deplored the attention given by the media to political issues only, while ignoring serious issues like use of fake medicines in the country.
Moreover, speaking on the occasion, the Dr Obaid said the annual budget of DRA was Rs 500 million and about 50 employees were working there. He said it was difficult to work with such a limited number of staff accompanied with the problem of an insufficient budget. He further said quality medicines were being produced in the country and their quality could be judged from the fact that about 80 percent of diabetes patients were using locally manufactured medicines.
On the occasion, Dr Kaiser underlined the need to launch a big crackdown against counterfeit drugs.
Providing an image of hope, Chief Drug Inspector Saleem Isharat said the country’s pharmaceutical industry was competing with the world’s pharma industry and many local companies were strictly following European standards.
Stressing on doctors to play their role, Prof Umar said many pharmaceutical companies in the country were engaged in unethical practices and it was duty of doctors to prescribe only genuine medicines to patients in clear writing.
Meanwhile, Naeem Qureshi said that the government and political parties have never given priority to public health issues and no action had been taken against ministers or bureaucrats whenever their performance plummeted. He demanded a ban on the publication or airing of advertisements in the media about fake or low quality medicines, including banning ads given by quakes and hakims.
May 5, 2013 BY STAFF REPORT
Caretaker Sindh Health Minister Dr Junaid Ali Shah said at a seminar organised on World Health Day that sale of spurious and counterfeit medicines in the country is a big problem as many unwarranted deaths occur due to these drugs. He said the civil society, media, consumers and medicine manufacturers should join hands to stop the unchecked use of fake medicines in the country.
The seminar, titled “How to promote use of genuine medicines” was organised by Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PPMA).
PPMA Chairman Jawed Akhai, former chairmen Dr Kaiser Waheed and Zahid Saeed, South Zone Chairman Nadeem Chandna, Prof Tipu Sultan, Dow Medical University Pro Vice Chancellor Prof Umar Farooq, Drug Regulatory Authority Controller Dr Obaid Ali, National Forum for Environment and Health President Naeem Qureshi, Hira Baloch and Dr Qaiser Sajjad also spoke on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Junaid said there should be strict punishment on the selling of fake drugs. He underlined the need for strict implementation of existing drug laws while expressing his regrets that the previous provincial assembly did not pass important legislations like Health Policy Bill and Thalassemia Bill. He demanded strict action to be taken against the bureaucracy for showing a pathetic performance and mismanagement of the health sector. He further said that the health sector had not been given importance in the country.
Earlier, while speaking on the occasion, PPMA chairman said a permanent chief executive should be appointed at the Drugs Regulatory Authority and a temporary system of operations would not be tolerated within the authority. He stressed the need for running the authority according to DRA laws.
He deplored that many influential people were involved in the business of fake medicines manufacturing and were receiving backing from different political parties and officers of government departments. Meanwhile, he said that the association had launched a campaign to create awareness among the masses against the use of fake medicines.
Former PPMA chairman Zahid Saeed said all chemists and druggists should be registered with the drug distributors. All chemists should be made to follow the terms and conditions set by the respective authority. He also said that a pharmacist should be available at every chemist shop, while adding drug inspectors should be provided with better working conditions.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Tipu said about 40 percent medicines being sold in the country were counterfeit and Pakistan was one among 13 countries of the world where fake medicines were being manufactured in large quantities. There was severe punishment for possessing 100 grams of heroin, but no punishment was awarded to anyone when a truck load of fake medicines was confiscated anywhere in the country, he added.
He deplored the attention given by the media to political issues only, while ignoring serious issues like use of fake medicines in the country.
Moreover, speaking on the occasion, the Dr Obaid said the annual budget of DRA was Rs 500 million and about 50 employees were working there. He said it was difficult to work with such a limited number of staff accompanied with the problem of an insufficient budget. He further said quality medicines were being produced in the country and their quality could be judged from the fact that about 80 percent of diabetes patients were using locally manufactured medicines.
On the occasion, Dr Kaiser underlined the need to launch a big crackdown against counterfeit drugs.
Providing an image of hope, Chief Drug Inspector Saleem Isharat said the country’s pharmaceutical industry was competing with the world’s pharma industry and many local companies were strictly following European standards.
Stressing on doctors to play their role, Prof Umar said many pharmaceutical companies in the country were engaged in unethical practices and it was duty of doctors to prescribe only genuine medicines to patients in clear writing.
Meanwhile, Naeem Qureshi said that the government and political parties have never given priority to public health issues and no action had been taken against ministers or bureaucrats whenever their performance plummeted. He demanded a ban on the publication or airing of advertisements in the media about fake or low quality medicines, including banning ads given by quakes and hakims.
Night_Hawk
Siasat.pk - Blogger
[h=1]Cardiovascular drug quality in Pakistan[/h] March 5, 2015 by Muhammad Zaman Leave a Comment
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When it comes to availability of quality medicines, we seem to have an end-to-end problem, from the very beginning of the supply chain all the way to the end. We have a whole menu of raging fires that need to be fought every day, with little respite for the affected public. We do not need to go back in history to find evidence of the breadth and depth of our crisis. A quick news analysis of just a few weeks paints a grim picture. We can scan a period of a few weeks at any time in the year, and we are bound to get a number of depressing hits. In the last few weeks, every major newspaper has carried multiple and often different stories associated with poor quality medicines or counterfeit drugs. Our menu of problems in this arena has poor manufacturing and shady operations at the top of the list. These manufacturers of misery are sometimes raided but often go under the radar. We have fractured distribution also featured prominently on the list. The disintegrated supply chain leads to unavailability of life-saving drugs and causes preventable deaths even in larger hospitals in major cities. The list would be incomplete without the apathy of the government. This week, the Senate standing committee once again issued a “directive” to fill vital posts in the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to combat the issue of spurious medicines. I have lost count of how many such directives have been issued to date and if any action in this regard has been taken. And let’s not forget the story from a couple of months ago when our substandard medicines were found to be widely present in the Afghan market as well. The saddest part of this whole story about drug safety is that it no longer bothers us, it does not make major news nor does it get to the level of high priority action from those in power.
A recent report, earlier this week, in the leading global health journal, Lancet, paints a very grim picture of widespread resistance to the most promising anti-malarial, Artemisinin, spreading rapidly in Asia and reaching the doorsteps of India. It is driven in a large part by substandard medicines. It won’t be too long before we start seeing the effects as well. We already have substantial resistance issues in TB and anti-malarials; the last thing we need is to become more vulnerable with regards to malaria as well.
Safeguarding our population, be it from militancy challenges, social ills or those of apathy need a strategy. However, successful and effective strategies also require some robust and reliable information. This is one of our biggest problems. Ask anyone, literally anyone you know, and they are bound to know someone who has been affected by spurious or substandard medicines, but if you push hard, there is no real data about the extent of the problem. No one knows how often the problem surfaces, is it worse with domestic or foreign manufacturers, is it particularly problematic with a given vaccine or a specific drug. The efforts to employ IT-based solutions, as the Punjab government has done, while useful, only scratch the surface. IT-based solutions can only test packaging and look at some counterfeit drugs, but what about the bad drugs made by ‘reputable’ manufacturers, which is a far bigger problem? What about the drugs that degrade when they are not stored properly? What about drugs that do not have the right amount of the active ingredient and lead to long-term drug resistance? Counterfeits are only a small part of the big problem we face. Not having reliable data on the nature, extent and magnitude is a much bigger problem.
If not having data is our first problem, not doing anything about it is the other big problem. The great social challenge of our society is no longer about ‘haves and have-nots’, but about haves, have-nots and care-nots.
This article has been cross-posted from Express Tribune and first appeared on http://tribune.com.pk/story/846613/drugs-data-and-deaths/ .
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When it comes to availability of quality medicines, we seem to have an end-to-end problem, from the very beginning of the supply chain all the way to the end. We have a whole menu of raging fires that need to be fought every day, with little respite for the affected public. We do not need to go back in history to find evidence of the breadth and depth of our crisis. A quick news analysis of just a few weeks paints a grim picture. We can scan a period of a few weeks at any time in the year, and we are bound to get a number of depressing hits. In the last few weeks, every major newspaper has carried multiple and often different stories associated with poor quality medicines or counterfeit drugs. Our menu of problems in this arena has poor manufacturing and shady operations at the top of the list. These manufacturers of misery are sometimes raided but often go under the radar. We have fractured distribution also featured prominently on the list. The disintegrated supply chain leads to unavailability of life-saving drugs and causes preventable deaths even in larger hospitals in major cities. The list would be incomplete without the apathy of the government. This week, the Senate standing committee once again issued a “directive” to fill vital posts in the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) to combat the issue of spurious medicines. I have lost count of how many such directives have been issued to date and if any action in this regard has been taken. And let’s not forget the story from a couple of months ago when our substandard medicines were found to be widely present in the Afghan market as well. The saddest part of this whole story about drug safety is that it no longer bothers us, it does not make major news nor does it get to the level of high priority action from those in power.A recent report, earlier this week, in the leading global health journal, Lancet, paints a very grim picture of widespread resistance to the most promising anti-malarial, Artemisinin, spreading rapidly in Asia and reaching the doorsteps of India. It is driven in a large part by substandard medicines. It won’t be too long before we start seeing the effects as well. We already have substantial resistance issues in TB and anti-malarials; the last thing we need is to become more vulnerable with regards to malaria as well.
Safeguarding our population, be it from militancy challenges, social ills or those of apathy need a strategy. However, successful and effective strategies also require some robust and reliable information. This is one of our biggest problems. Ask anyone, literally anyone you know, and they are bound to know someone who has been affected by spurious or substandard medicines, but if you push hard, there is no real data about the extent of the problem. No one knows how often the problem surfaces, is it worse with domestic or foreign manufacturers, is it particularly problematic with a given vaccine or a specific drug. The efforts to employ IT-based solutions, as the Punjab government has done, while useful, only scratch the surface. IT-based solutions can only test packaging and look at some counterfeit drugs, but what about the bad drugs made by ‘reputable’ manufacturers, which is a far bigger problem? What about the drugs that degrade when they are not stored properly? What about drugs that do not have the right amount of the active ingredient and lead to long-term drug resistance? Counterfeits are only a small part of the big problem we face. Not having reliable data on the nature, extent and magnitude is a much bigger problem.
If not having data is our first problem, not doing anything about it is the other big problem. The great social challenge of our society is no longer about ‘haves and have-nots’, but about haves, have-nots and care-nots.
This article has been cross-posted from Express Tribune and first appeared on http://tribune.com.pk/story/846613/drugs-data-and-deaths/ .
یہ مشروٹ کا بچہ کس خوشی میں ان دوائیوں کو نقلی دوائیاں کہہ سکتا ہے جسے ایک مستند ادارے نے رجسٹر کیا ہو؟
مجھے یاد ہے کہ وفاق کی سطح پہ لائسنس دینے والے محکمے میں ڈاکٹر ہوا کرتے تھے اور ایسی ایسی کمپنیوں کو رجسٹریشن دیتے جن سے بسکٹ بنانی والی بیکری اچھی ہوگی۔ بعد میں فارما سسٹس نے یہ کام سنھبال لیا اور اب صرف فارما سسٹ ہی ایک لمبے اور دتھکا دینے والے مرحلوں کے بعد کمپنی کی رجسٹریشن کرتے ہیں اور نئی دوائیوں کی رجسٹریشن بھی وہی کرتے ہیں۔ تو کہنے کا مطلب یہ ہے کہ ڈاکٹروں کو دوائیوں کے بارے میں کک نہیں پتا ( معاف کرنا آپ خود بھی ڈاکٹرپڑھتے ہو لیکن یہی حقیقت ہے) ہوتا کہ یہ بنتی کیسے ہیں اور انکے کون کونسے ٹیسٹ ہوتے ہیں۔ یہ بات کسی سینئر فارماسسٹ سے پوچھنی چاہیے نہ کہ ڈاکٹرز سے۔ ڈاکٹر کو یہ معلوم ہوتا ہے کہ کون سی دوائی کس مرض کے لیے استعمال کرنی چاہیے نہ کہ دوائی بنانے اور ٹیسٹوں کے طریقے کیا ہوتے ہیں۔
The only difference in acquired counter diet productsin local or abroad, via the Dollar store in Canada goes to show when average people unable to afford premium it makes logical sense to buy cheaper alternative, simply.
But as Night Hawk said, in health related counterfeiting I would purchase originals simply everything else not problem to buy cheap if living in par lives.
But as Night Hawk said, in health related counterfeiting I would purchase originals simply everything else not problem to buy cheap if living in par lives.
