NMC SHAKING MEDICAL LANDSCAPE

It came as a jolt to most of us when the news of new guidelines by NMC for the doctors directing them prescribe only generic names of the medicines.Since then it is a hot topic of discussion in Hospital and Pharmaceutical corridors .While the doctors are apprehensive that it would take away their right to prescribe the brand of their choice, Pharma industry is feeling the heat for its brands, which gives them huge earning ,would lose huge sales .

On one side , Medical Professionals have made huge earnings out of the flawed policy where they could prescribe any brand that could accrue them profits.In the name of good brands doctors have been participating in profit sharing mechanism with pharmaceutical companies and hence enjoying a win-win situation .Sadly patients have been ripped off for no fault of theirs.

On Pharmaceutical companies front , the brands have been created through extensive marketing which entails anything but ethics .For example , the reason that in the last couple of years not even a single branded generic product from Multinational companies ( which seems to adhere to the code of conduct most of the time) was a big success is because of blatant unhygienic practice .Besides that local pharmaceutical companies have got the cue of how doctors could be bribed and benefitted from hugely in the shape of prescriptions ruining the remaining fabric.The result is all of us to see. The entire edifice of healthcare is falling apart.

The last , but the most important part of the chain ,and the end user , the patient ,suffers the most.He does not suffer in terms of just healthcare but also meets with psychological trauma where he has now started fearing going to the hospitals.

Now what should be the way out and how this conundrum is resolved a big question. While doctors are most sought after community and we don't have to annoy them, pharmaceutical companies too are big employee generator plus have established their name on global canvas.

The answer lies in a definite change towards our goal where we should align with global model but in a staggered manner .This time when change is progressing, lateral support from govt and insurance companies should come .