Substandard drugs killing patients: DAK

Excelsior Correspondent

Srinagar, Jan 27: Expressing grave concern over continued influx of substandard drugs in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today said that these drugs are killing patients.
Shocked over the supply of these drugs, the DAK president Nisar-ul-Hassan said that every day patients die because of substandard and falsified medications. “83 drugs have been found substandard and misbranded during the last two years, which was revealed by the Health Minister on the floor of the Assembly.
“This is the tip of the ice-burg as most of the drugs remain unchecked. Less than 1% of the drugs get checked and more than 99% of medicines are without quality assurance. In fact, whole drug market is under the dragnet of these poor-quality drugs. According to an estimate, 50% drugs consumed by people in Kashmir are substandard,” he said.
Even life-saving antibiotics like Amoxicillin and Ceftriaxone supplied to government hospitals have been found to be unsafe, Dr Nisar said, adding that “there is a deep-rooted nexus between the drug mafia and shoddy pharma units that pump massive quantities of substandard drugs in Jammu and Kashmir”.
“There are doctors who prescribe these drugs to patients and in return receive huge money from these firms. They are on pay-rolls of these companies and receive cars, jewellery, laptops, cellphones, foreign trips and what not for writing these products. This is within the knowledge of authorities and agencies meant to control the menace,” the DAK president added.
He said in 2013, when we unearthed the spurious drug scam, we were punished for raising voice against fake drug perpetrators. “While in 2007 head of china’s drug administration was hanged for his involvement in a substandard drug, in JK perpetrators are let off and promoted. With no fear of accountability, the deadly business continues unabated in JK,” Dr Nisar added.

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