A recent directive from the Union health ministry has sought a ban over 300 cocktails of two or more drugs, which, medical experts allege, have no therapeutic value (“Drug-cocktail ban opens can of worms”, March 15). These drugs are called fixed-dose combinations and include popular cough syrups such as Corex, Phensedyl and so on. Health experts are of the opinion that “irrational drug cocktails” such as these provide no medical help to the patients. But, in some cases, they can lead to drug resistance and inhibit the building up of immunity to infections.
The Union health ministry should be congratulated on this bold decision. While it is true that the drug industry might face an estimated loss of more than Rs 2,000 crore, such a predicament is unavoidable. Drug manufacturers, in connivance with unscrupulous medical practitioners, make huge profits through the sale of such harmful medicines. The pharmaceutical companies should make medicines to save people instead of causing them harm.
The Telegraph, Calcutta, Mar 24, 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment