15/09/2015
Truly a gallant and appreciable initiative of the regional regulatory authority of West Bengal against the Two most Influential Multi National Pharmaceutical Companies. It is very surprising that ORG-IMS facts and figures is revealing the ranks of both Phensedyl and Corex, the ‘Cough Syrups’, as No-1 or No-2 among lakhs of formulations available in India, while another study report of the same forum confirms that neither of them are among the leading prescribed brands. Just check this contradiction.
It is no wonder that the apprehension and evidence of having more percentage of ‘Codeine Phosphate’ comparing the restricted parameters have been noticed in several batch numbers of these formulations. It is a fact that often the foreign buyers had more inclination on the bottom of the bottles containing certain marks or denominations instead of the labels of the formulations. It is again a wonder why these customers are so keen and interested about the ‘Marks/Denominations’ of the bottles and how they gather the information prior to the supply of these formulations! Simply because of the unholy nexus in between the factory people to those drug traffickers.
It was not so easy to bell the cat for the concerned authority. Medicines, harmful or benign, these traffickers believe in selling all ‘BANNED’ and ‘RESTRICTED’ formulations only since they provide more premiums.
I must blame the Indian judiciary too. It takes about a year to implement any stringent order for restricting or banning the sale of harmful medicines in India. Is it unconstitutional to impose ‘Banned’ order on any product where the laboratory reports are confirming malignant or adverse effect on human bodies? In India we find introduction and marketing of new molecules in the name of BANNED Formulation, where company takes the advantage of the popularity of that SUSPENDED Brand.
Sharing my personal experiences, I had massive thrush and threat from the Industry while opposing the ‘On Air Marketing’ and ‘Pseudo Publicity’ of ‘LEVONOROGESTREL’, a formula exposed as Schedule H drug but converted suddenly as OTC’. I learnt a simple thing ---- In the Land of Shiva, even it is NOT a Crime to sell Poison for the sake of Economic growth of the country.
Wish all the best for this initiative once more, with an expectation that this regulatory Authority shall be EQUALLY Agile, Serious and Active against all types of Whims and Mischief of the Industry which are Abnormal, Illegal and Irrational. I expect that in future harmful drugs in disguise of harmless life saving formulations shall be detected more in numbers for the welfare of the future strength of our nation.
Hope Authorities of other States must follow what Bengal Thinks Today.
