THE recommendations by Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health Ministry as reported by a national daily on Thursday that said licenses of 20 pharmaceutical companies should be cancelled for producing substandard medicines should be considered on priority basis. Consumption of some of their drugs poses serious health risk like heart diseases, cancer, brain damage and kidney and liver damages.
Production and marketing of substandard and unnecessary drugs in Bangladesh were very common before 1982. The new drug policy then went a long way to stop producing non-essentials such as vitamins, tonics, enzymes, gripe waters and cough mixtures, antibiotics etc. Now an expert committee has also recommended banning 14 companies from producing all kinds of antibiotics, 22 companies from producing antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups and three other from producing antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups, anti-cancer drug and hormones.
In fact many small companies are now marketing substandard and spurious medicines, including lifesaving ones and earning an estimated US$ 150 million per year. They are flooding the domestic market. Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is a major criterion to maintain the quality of drugs, and it was one of the major objectives of the National Drug Policy. A report said there are around 265 pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh which are not following or complying the GMP. It is alleged that drug adulteration is flourishing in the country because of poor government vigilance and supervision over drug manufacturers and sellers.
Indeed in the absence of strict enforcement of laws, many companies are manufacturing substandard and adulterated medicines and cheating the people. The strict enforcement of laws must be on the priority now in the interest of producing quality medicines and saving lives. In 2009, the government initiated a move to upgrade the country’s existing laws governing the pharmaceutical industry to ensure producing quality drugs for export and save the domestic market from distribution of fake drugs. The authorities concerned however failed so far to properly implement the move to stop the manufacture of substandard medicines.
A section of corrupt physicians and government officials are involved in stalling the progress though underhand deals. The government blames limited workforce and facilities to handle difficult situations in an otherwise fast growing pharmaceutical sector. Expectedly, the country has huge opportunities to export medicine abroad.
But what is at stake is that manufacturer of substandard medicines will shatter the export market and revenue earning at the end. In fact, the regulatory authorities are giving scanty attention to it. So, production of substandard medicine is increasing. Inadequate supply of essential drugs, substandard quality, uncontrolled drug prices and inappropriate uses of drugs are major problems in Bangladesh. The Drug Control authorities should be better-equipped and more vigilant to handle difficult situations.
Production and marketing of substandard and unnecessary drugs in Bangladesh were very common before 1982. The new drug policy then went a long way to stop producing non-essentials such as vitamins, tonics, enzymes, gripe waters and cough mixtures, antibiotics etc. Now an expert committee has also recommended banning 14 companies from producing all kinds of antibiotics, 22 companies from producing antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups and three other from producing antibiotics of penicillin and cephalosporin groups, anti-cancer drug and hormones.
In fact many small companies are now marketing substandard and spurious medicines, including lifesaving ones and earning an estimated US$ 150 million per year. They are flooding the domestic market. Good manufacturing practice (GMP) is a major criterion to maintain the quality of drugs, and it was one of the major objectives of the National Drug Policy. A report said there are around 265 pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh which are not following or complying the GMP. It is alleged that drug adulteration is flourishing in the country because of poor government vigilance and supervision over drug manufacturers and sellers.
Indeed in the absence of strict enforcement of laws, many companies are manufacturing substandard and adulterated medicines and cheating the people. The strict enforcement of laws must be on the priority now in the interest of producing quality medicines and saving lives. In 2009, the government initiated a move to upgrade the country’s existing laws governing the pharmaceutical industry to ensure producing quality drugs for export and save the domestic market from distribution of fake drugs. The authorities concerned however failed so far to properly implement the move to stop the manufacture of substandard medicines.
A section of corrupt physicians and government officials are involved in stalling the progress though underhand deals. The government blames limited workforce and facilities to handle difficult situations in an otherwise fast growing pharmaceutical sector. Expectedly, the country has huge opportunities to export medicine abroad.
But what is at stake is that manufacturer of substandard medicines will shatter the export market and revenue earning at the end. In fact, the regulatory authorities are giving scanty attention to it. So, production of substandard medicine is increasing. Inadequate supply of essential drugs, substandard quality, uncontrolled drug prices and inappropriate uses of drugs are major problems in Bangladesh. The Drug Control authorities should be better-equipped and more vigilant to handle difficult situations.
