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Letters to the Editor Indian Pediatrics 2000;37: 1287-1288. |
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Educating Ourselves |
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"Extracting one’s pound of flesh" is as old as Shylock of the Merchant of Venice. It is a human tendency which exists at all levels, howsoever deplorable it might look from a specific perspective. The medical personnel, the pharmaceutical concerns and to a lesser extent even their consumers namely the patients would like to exploit any situation when it suits them, preferably without getting into the spotlight of gross malpractice. Many a times, in the current era, no holds are barred in this exploitative endeavor. Patients will need drugs which are genuine, trustworthy and reasonably priced. Doctors need drugs with dependable availability and proper regulating authority’s certification for their prescriptions. Pharmaceutical companies need to make enough profit through good manufacturing and marketing practices as well as recover their research costs. One can’t challenge the freedom of patients to choose their doctors and freedom of doctors to choose from available good products of dependable companies. One can’t challenge the freedom of companies in using competitive strategies where same products exist. We can certainly challenge the freedom of regulating authorities to give formal approvals to irrational drugs and allow the companies to call them rational. If this freedom by all constituents is used with temperance of social responsibility even as self interests are looked after, major problems would never arise. All Continuing Medical Education Programs, Conferences and Group Teaching Sessions can have participation of all the constituents in an appropriate and balanced measure. In a country where the population is one billion, formulations sanctioned are more than 50,000. Corruption dominates the scene in politics and bureaucracy and where doctors do not receive adequate educational inputs in ethical practices, rational drug usage and nobility of the vocation, it is difficult to expect an improvement in the scenario. All need not be lost yet. If the professional organizations such as Indian Academy of Pediatrics, Indian Medical Association, Federation of Obstetric and Gynecologic Society of India, etc. add to their activities frequent training of rational/ethical therapy involving drug companies, regulating authorities and consumer organizations, the situation could improve a lot. Evil usually thrives because good remains only a passive observer and commentator and does not take active part in changing the situation. What cannot easily be done by individuals/professionals can be done collectively by their organizations. What can be done by education of members simply cannot be done by legislation, guidelines or recommendations. This is where we are found lacking – educating ourselves! R.D. Potdar,
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