Senior health experts have expressed concern over an acute shortage of medicines and increasing prices of medicines in Pakistan, saying that poor people are facing difficulty in getting treatment.
A letter sent to the provincial health departments by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap), advising them to take necessary measures to stop government and private doctors from prescribing branded medicines and instead write salts/chemicals, is but reflective of the deep- rooted policy ad hocism and confusion prevalent at the regulator.
The letter sent by Drap pharmacy services director Dr Abdur Rashid, mentions that the regulator has received public complaints that the doctors prescribe branded medicines under the influence of pharmaceutical companies, which puts an unnecessary financial burden on the patients.
“This practice adds to the economic burden of the country and also puts a financial load on patients owing to purchase of pricier brands… and is also against the code of ethics for the medical and dental practitioners. You are, therefore, requested to take necessary measures for promoting generic prescriptions by the doctors to discourage the practice of i
LAHORE: Pakistan Medical Association has demanded the government take the medical fraternity’s representative body on board with regard to its plan to procure COVID-19 vaccines and their.