Thread by @vjayakumar

Not a doc (though I go by Dr Bathak with friends!). Firm believer in doctors prescribing only chemical name.

Procurement teams must do random, routine quality checks for all drugs, brands too. Anyone has list of trusted testing labs?

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https://twitter.com/theliverdr/status/1535428053706625025

On that note, neurologists, @pratimamurthy @mheduNIMHANS ,
recently a Raipur family was struggling to get Sabril tablet prescribed by NIMHANS. Fortunately a pharmacist forwarded them to the #WhereIsViga group of Team ISthmUS and short term need is fulfilled. But what ifs abound..

As a result of the organised visibility of families during Covid lockdown and sustained pressure from associations like @thetsaindia , Vigabatrin is now also marketed locally by manufacturers as sachets - MSN Labs (Viganext) and Intas (Viby).

So please only generic name in Rx !

What you tell patient orally as guidance is up to you, but reminder that generic / chemical name in written prescription is required by law from 2017. “Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters"... pib.gov.in/PressReleasePa…

There'd be a child having seizures non-stop in Raipur if it hadn't been for the proactive pharmacy.
Speaking of prescriptions, again from Covid lockdown drug shortage experience, Docs please also write a physical prescription in addition to your case records for online sourcing

Finally, whether Sabril tablets or Desferal vials, the search for uncommon medication in India has seen no policy or even mainstream health organisation support.

And despite requesting a registry for this purpose so regular demand is known by Government, NGO & industry alike ...

... in each case, clueless consumers are being asked by @MoHFW_INDIA what national demand is, where the patients are located. Sadly even cause-specific organisations can't speak for national numbers and are unwilling to share even anonymised information.

That coupled with folly

... Of pharmaceuticals that #MakeInIndia but #NotForIndia (looking at you @drreddys @TevaUSA and unhelpful others) badly ditched despairing families during the lockdown and required desperate measures by citizens.
business-standard.com/article/health…

2 years of @MoHFW_INDIA inaction later, we still have no idea, no registry, no centralised import by govt agency like @HLLLifecare , no distribution of orphan drug to nearest Jan Aushadhi @pmbjppmbi , no measures to request Indian exporters to provide for domestic market and ...

@MoHFW_INDIA @HLLLifecare @pmbjppmbi ... no subsidy of high priced life-sustaining and life saving drugs.

There's laissez-faire capitalism & then there's the live and let die health policy currently in force for those most at risk.
Little wonder the Rare Disease Cell in Nirman Bhavan is situated in WHO server room!