Spurious drugs putting lives of patients at risk: DAK

By
Daily Excelsior
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Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Nov 25: With more and more people preferring Indian System of Medicine (ISM) for treatment, Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today expressed shock over the supply of substandard drugs to Government hospitals in the State.
Alarmed by a report published by Excelsior, the DAK president, Dr Nisar-ul-Hassan said it is unacceptable that patients go to hospitals with a hope to get medicines but instead are provided poison in the form of spurious drugs.
Five drugs, Kanchnar guggulu, Prostate forte, Systonex syp, Jaytyadii taila and Rajparvartinvati which were lifted from various hospitals and stores in September this year from Jammu, Samba and Kathua were found to contain fungus and declared unsafe for human consumption.
These drugs were procured and supplied by ISM Department bypassing Jammu and Kashmir Medical Supplies Corporation ((JKMSL) which was created to do away with the corrupt purchase committees and curb the menace of spurious drugs, the DAK president said.
He said despite being declared substandard, these drugs continue to be in hospitals and stores. “And, we can’t know how many precious lives might have been lost because of these drugs as patient is always presumed to have died from a disease rather than these drugs,” Dr Nisar said.
He added that the menace of spurious drugs spreading to ayurvedic, unani and homeopathic medicines is a matter of grave concern as many patients rely on these medicines. “Be it fever, cough and cold, constipation or diarrhea, arthritis and urine problem, the ayurvedic medicines are in great demand with patients,” the DAK president added.
He said Jammu and Kashmir is a safe bastion for spurious drugs as the market is unregulated and unchecked and there is no fear of accountability. “When we unearthed the fake drug scandal in 2013, to our utter surprise instead of punishing perpetrators we were axed. According to an Interpol report, more than one million people die each year from spurious drugs,” said Dr Nisar.

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