Oct 21, 2004 09:13 AM
8685 Views
(Updated Oct 21, 2004 09:13 AM)
When I was studying in Allahabad, a chemist in Civil Lines market had written in big letters on the gate of his shop - We pray to God that you never need medicine but if you need it then purchase it only from us?. At that time I and my friends took it as a good joke but now I realize that a wonderful sentiment and concern for people was contained in the message.
This ad had remained in my memory till now. Recently I came across an ad issued by Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Department of Consumer Affairs. The ad has been inserted in popular daily newspapers about consumer protection and what precautions one should take while purchasing medicine.
The ad shows a picture where a consumer is saying to the shopkeeper at a chemist shop??Got you, didn?t I!? The shopkeeper is shown with folded hands with a paper in his hands. Perhaps he is feeling sorry, perhaps he is not. There is a line printed at the bottom of the picture??Expiry date means there is no life after death?. Rather a grim reminder, don?t you agree?
How many of you have not noticed this ad? How many of you have noticed and read it? How many of you read it and felt concerned? How many of you have decided that in future you will be more careful while purchasing medicines? Being careful means what? Let us review this. I will also like to share with you my experience I had gained while designing, implementing and auditing of Quality System in pharmaceutical companies.
First of all Ad says, ?your awareness is your protection?. How right it is? To protect yourself you must be aware. You must have the right information.
BE CAREFUL WHILE MAKING PURCHASES - Never purchase medicine without prescription of a registered medical practitioner. Buy it only from a reliable shop. In case of any doubt you must immediately consult your doctor who had prescribed the medicine. Sometimes chemists suggest another make saying that it is the same medicine manufactured by another company under a different name. Don?t assume or presume things while buying and taking medicines.
INSIST ON A CASH-MEMO - Don?t pay more than the mentioned M. R. P. You must also ensure that purchase of medicine is legal, and the best way for making a purchase legal is to take a cash-memo. You may need the cash-memo any time in future. Check and verify that details of medicine have been properly recorded on the cash-memo, such as, name of the medicine, manufacturer?s name or brand, potency, tablet-syrup-powder, batch No., date of expiry, name of doctor, name of patient.
Now let me tell you what precautions should be taken for manufacturing medicine. Manufacture and distribution of medicines is regulated under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, Rules and various Notifications issued from time to time by the Government. Under this Act a manufacturer has to obtain a license from Drug Controller of respective State or Union Territory. Without this license no body can manufacture and distribute any medicine.
The Manufacturing and Quality Control Chemists appointed by the manufacture are approved by the Drug Controller and their names are mentioned in the license. The chemist who is selling the medicine is also required to obtain such license. You may ask the chemist to show you the copy of the license. These licenses are renewed at regular intervals and should be valid on the day of manufacture and sale.
Manufacturers are required to follow Good Manufacturing Practices(GMP) as notified in the Act while manufacturing medicines. These GMP cover the building(clean and free from any source of contamination), the machinery, the quality control instruments, the people(should be free from disease and practice personal hygiene), purchases(only approved materials), production(clean environment to prevent any contamination), packing, distribution, in short controlling everything which may contaminate the medicine. The Act also provides for immediate recall from market of all such medicines, which may have some quality defect.
Some medicines may require specially controlled environment for storage. Such as, low temperature. Such medicines should be kept in freezers or refrigerators pending sale and consumption. In case of such medicines special instructions are given on the strip containing tablets, bottle containing syrup and any printed material packed with the medicine. Check, verify and follow for storing and consuming such medicines.
So friends, be very careful while purchasing medicine. Also take them as per instructions printed on the label and as advised by the doctor. Remember you are not eating the medicine for fun. It is as per the necessity to cure. A spurious medicine or a good medicine but taken in a wrong manner may prove harmful.
In the end I repeat the message of my university days? I pray to God that you never need medicine but if you need it then purchase it only from a reliable chemist?.
