Even as the prime minister Manmohan Singh-led National Development Council meets on Thursday to discuss a law to curb unethical practices adopted by pharmaceutical companies to persuade doctors to promote their products, a four-month investigation by DNA has shown that the ‘pay-for-prescription’ practice flourishes. While doctors admit that there is a grave danger of drugs being overused when pharmaceutical companies woo doctors and stockists with various sops for promoting their drugs, even the parliamentary standing committee on health and family welfare in a report dated May 8, 2012 says there is no let-up in this “evil practice”. It says, “... pharma companies continue to sponsor foreign trips of many doctors and shower them with high value gifts like air conditioners, cars, music systems, gold chains etc... to obliging prescribers who then prescribe costlier drugs as quid pro quo. Ultimately all these expenses get added up to the cost of drugs.”
What’s more, the pharma firm-doctor nexus is not limited to innocuous over-the-counter drugs, a DNA investigation has found.
Take the example of US Vitamin (USV) Ltd, a major player in the oral antibiotics market. In August 2011, its product manager wrote to company representatives appreciating their efforts in making
its product, Drego-D, the Number 1 prescribed brand in the preceding two months. The letter went on to say they should also push another drug, Drego, similarly, given the huge opportunity it presents. All doctors except paediatricians have the potential to prescribe Drego, the letter urged. Drego and Drego-D are both Schedule H drugs, to be sold only on the prescription of a registered medical practitioner.
The letter goes on to detail the promotional activities for the Drego group of drugs, including “on demand campaign” every month specifically for general practitioners, ENT specialists, orthopaedics, gynaecologists and more.
The “engagement” and “development activity” for these doctors included investment of Rs65,000/ year or Rs80,000 per year on one or two selected doctors for a single drug, the letter revealed. “...with such a line of promotion we are sure that you all will very easily achieve a minimum per member per month (PMPM) of 250 strips of Drego & 350 strips of Drego-D,” the letter said, going on
to insist that representatives should, during their field work, ensure that doctors give Drego prescriptions “on priority”.
The letter posted a target a business worth Rs14 crore for a single drug in a single year.
The company’s brochure also says doctors stood to win a smartphone or LCD television once they enter the “MPower Club” for a certain number of prescriptions of Zylera, a drug for nasal problems or asthma-like symptoms, also a Schedule H drug.
Franco India, expected to have a turnover of Rs2.1 billion this year, offers a variety of gifts to doctors, including a hamper of basmati rice, handmade orange soap, an all-in-one mobile phone charger and other stationery items.
Svizera Healthcare, a division of Maneesh Pharmaceuticals Limited, issued a brochure called Club Inspira 2010-2011, which invites doctors to become members by prescribing products worth
Rs50,000 between May and August 2010. The prescriptions would have to be for Si-Fixim, Si-Fixim XL, Si-Fixim CV, FlanZen, FlanZen D/DP and others.
These are all highly sensitive drugs. Si-Fixim is generally used for the treatment of infections caused by susceptible bacteria. Doctors prescribe the medicine to patients suffering from upper
respiratory tract infections, such as pharyngitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and lower respiratory tract infections like acute bronchitis and acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis etc. FlanZen is
prescribed for reducing inflammation and edema occurring due to rheumatic disorders, surgeries, breast engorgements, pregnancy-related thrombophlebitis as well as fibrocystic breast diseases.
It causes hypersensitivity reactions including rashes, abdominal discomfort and nausea if not taken properly.
Those entering the ‘club’ would be eligible for a gift, with their options ranging from a microwave oven, digital camera, a gold coin, etc.
While doctors get incentives for prescriptive drugs, incentives are offered to stockists for non-prescriptive drugs too. Though some may debate that there is nothing wrong in offering incentives to
the stockists, but others believe it does make the stockist unethically push for product in order to win the gifts.
While doctors get incentives for prescriptive drugs, incentives are offered to stockists for non-prescriptive drugs too.
A Gelusil festival extravaganza was announced by Pfizer to strengthen the product’s position as the Number 1 antacid in its category. Distributors were offered slab-wise gifts for achieving targets
and also a chance to participate in a lucky draw. A similar offer had been launched last year for Becosules, the vitamin supplement. On offer was a chance to win diamond pendants, gold chains, travel bags, LCD televisions, home theatres, and wrist-watches.
While most pharma companies DNA approached refused to respond to queries on ethical practices while promoting drugs, Pfizer spokesperson Shyam Kumar said the company takes
compliance with norms very seriously. “In fact, over the past several years, Pfizer has taken very significant steps to strengthen our internal controls and pioneer new procedures in the area of
compliance. Corporate integrity is an absolute priority for Pfizer, and we will continue to take appropriate actions to strengthen public trust in our company.”
Dr Kailash Sharma, member, board of governors, Medical Council of India, and director, academics, Tata Memorial hospital, said, ”MCI has already given strict guidelines but the practice of
accepting gifts is so prevalent, it becomes difficult to monitor. Doctors must restrain themselves from accepting gifts or foreign trips from pharma companies. There is a need to bring in penal
provisions for pharma companies, which offer gifts to doctors. There is also a need to audit the accounts of pharma companies to know how much they are spending on publicity.”
Courtesy:
Sandeep Pai l Mumbai
Published Date: Dec 27, 2012
http://epaper.dnaindia.com/story.aspx?id=35279&boxid=23577&ed_date=2012-12-27&ed_code=820009&ed_page=1
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