Health concerns: PHC takes notice of selective prescriptions

Unaware people are being advised to purchase medicines which would eventually benefit some doctors, says Dr Haroon.

PESHAWAR:

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday took notice of alleged cases of malpractice wherein doctors prescribe specific medicines to patients in exchange of kickbacks and other benefits by pharmaceutical companies.

A division bench headed by PHC Chief Justice Dost Muhammad Khan took notice of the issue while hearing a case about prisoners allegedly being supplied sub-standard medicines.

The bench cited media reports which maintained doctors working in emergency and outpatient departments frequently prescribe medication produced by companies that give benefits to doctors.

CJ Khan observed that employees of pharmaceutical companies could be seen roaming around hospitals, promoting medicines and later giving doctors their due share for prescribing the company’s drugs.

Hussain Haroon, a doctor present at the hearing, said hospital pharmacies are full of medicines, but “illiterate and unaware people are being advised to purchase medicines which would eventually benefit some doctors.”



The bench later issued notices to secretary health, and director generals and chief executives of Hayatabad Medical Complex, Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Children Hospital and Khyber Teaching Hospital, along with employees of the accident and emergency department at LRH, to address the court’s concerns.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2012.