Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Sent from Samsung tablet Original message From "Dr. Ferdinando dos Reis Falcão" Date: 09-06-2014 15:10 (GMT-05:00) To goanet@lists.goanet.org,John Gomes ,"Dr. José Colaço" Subject Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style Thank you Mr. John Gomes for a perfect rational view on the issue. In the present times, being sure of a drug to be authentic is as rare as being sure a person being rational! Dr. Ferdinando dos Reis Falcão > From: cola...@gmail.com > Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2014 07:29:14 -0400 > To: johngome...@yahoo.in; goanet@lists.goanet.org > Subject: Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style > > On Sep 6, 2014, at 1:50 AM, John Gomes wrote: > "Whilst I agree about our FDA, I would not be too sure about the stuff > available in our Pharmacies! You all may have heard about the Ranbaxy case in > USA and even a sincere and experienced Raj Vaidya of Hindu Pharmacy says > these days he frankly couldn't vouch for most of the stuff available or he is > selling. Cautious optimism these days is prudent, where we are cautioned not > to eat even eggs because hens are injected and the eggs/ stuff we eat render > our immune systems prone to anti biotic medicines rendered ineffective. And > Yes, I am no Pharmacist!.JEG > > COMMENT: > > IMO, a very reasoned and reasonable post. > Thank you, JEG > > jc > > additional reading: > WHO | Counterfeit medicines > www.who.int/medicines/services/counterfeit/impact/ImpactF.../index1.html > (..) in India's major cities, one in five medicines sold was a fake.
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Rather than cautious optimism, what is more prudent is caution or cautiousness. This has been true all along throughout history. The good thing about the present day is that independent bodies can verify the authenticity of the active ingredients in any pharmaceutical formulation in terms their chemical compositions and dosage amounts. Pharmaceutical technological advancements have developed sophisticated instruments and procedures that enable this. This was not possible three or four decades ago. If any bogus mixture, potion or powder was dispensed by an illiterate and untrained hired help in the backroom of the doctor's dispensary nobody could find out that this was the case. Moreover, almost everybody trusted the doctors, pharmacists, midwives, helpers, quacks, etc. blindly. Cheers, Santosh On Saturday, September 6, 2014 5:44 AM, John Gomes wrote: > > Whilst I agree about our FDA, I would not be too sure about the stuff > > available > in our Pharmacies! You all may have heard about the Ranbaxy case in USA and > even > a sincere and experienced Raj Vaidya of Hindu Pharmacy says these days he > frankly couldn't vouch for most of the stuff available or he is selling. > Cautious optimism these days is prudent, where we are cautioned not to eat > even > eggs because hens are injected and the eggs/ stuff we eat render our immune > systems prone to anti biotic medicines rendered ineffective. And Yes, I am no > Pharmacist!.JEG > >
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Thank you Mr. John Gomes for a perfect rational view on the issue. In the present times, being sure of a drug to be authentic is as rare as being sure a person being rational! Dr. Ferdinando dos Reis Falcão > From: cola...@gmail.com > Date: Sat, 6 Sep 2014 07:29:14 -0400 > To: johngome...@yahoo.in; goanet@lists.goanet.org > Subject: Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style > > On Sep 6, 2014, at 1:50 AM, John Gomes wrote: > "Whilst I agree about our FDA, I would not be too sure about the stuff > available in our Pharmacies! You all may have heard about the Ranbaxy case in > USA and even a sincere and experienced Raj Vaidya of Hindu Pharmacy says > these days he frankly couldn't vouch for most of the stuff available or he is > selling. Cautious optimism these days is prudent, where we are cautioned not > to eat even eggs because hens are injected and the eggs/ stuff we eat render > our immune systems prone to anti biotic medicines rendered ineffective. And > Yes, I am no Pharmacist!.JEG > > COMMENT: > > IMO, a very reasoned and reasonable post. > Thank you, JEG > > jc > > additional reading: > WHO | Counterfeit medicines > www.who.int/medicines/services/counterfeit/impact/ImpactF.../index1.html > (..) in India's major cities, one in five medicines sold was a fake.
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
On Sep 6, 2014, at 1:50 AM, John Gomes wrote: "Whilst I agree about our FDA, I would not be too sure about the stuff available in our Pharmacies! You all may have heard about the Ranbaxy case in USA and even a sincere and experienced Raj Vaidya of Hindu Pharmacy says these days he frankly couldn't vouch for most of the stuff available or he is selling. Cautious optimism these days is prudent, where we are cautioned not to eat even eggs because hens are injected and the eggs/ stuff we eat render our immune systems prone to anti biotic medicines rendered ineffective. And Yes, I am no Pharmacist!.JEG COMMENT: IMO, a very reasoned and reasonable post. Thank you, JEG jc additional reading: WHO | Counterfeit medicines www.who.int/medicines/services/counterfeit/impact/ImpactF.../index1.html (..) in India's major cities, one in five medicines sold was a fake.
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Whilst I agree about our FDA, I would not be too sure about the stuff available in our Pharmacies! You all may have heard about the Ranbaxy case in USA and even a sincere and experienced Raj Vaidya of Hindu Pharmacy says these days he frankly couldn't vouch for most of the stuff available or he is selling. Cautious optimism these days is prudent, where we are cautioned not to eat even eggs because hens are injected and the eggs/ stuff we eat render our immune systems prone to anti biotic medicines rendered ineffective. And Yes, I am no Pharmacist!.JEG On Friday, 5 September 2014 2:12 PM, Cecil Pinto wrote: A response from my friend Savio Figueiredo who can be contacted on rendeep1 at yahoo dot com - I do not wish to get personal. I googled Mr Roland Francis and have noted that he is based in Toronto Canada.I dont know whether he is from the Pharma field . On the other hand I am a Pharmacy Graduate and have worked in Pharma industry in Goa in the manufacturing , Materials- Purchase, Logistics and now Retail Pharmacy for more than 29 years. I have worked in Managerial positions in the CMM Group of Companies & German Remedies Ltd.and have been associated with M/s Unichem Laboratories Ltd. Just because we are employees of the company does not mean that they have purchased our souls.Please note that we are possibly talking about life saving medicines and it would be a criminal act to play with the lives of patients. During my time I have been witness to batches worth lacs of rupees being trashed as they did not meet standards. I have known the QC Pharmacists stand their ground about the quality of the raw materials & final products. India produces the best & cheapest medicines in the whole world. Why on earth would someone wish to bring in medicines in container loads and sell them cheap in Goa ? This may have been happening 40 years back when there was no manufacturing base in Goa & India Today I can proudly state that the availability of spurious, duplicate or mis-branded products at the pharmacy level in Goa is almost zero and the FDA in Goa is one of the most honest Departments in Goa as well as India and this has been so over the last 25 years & more due to honest leadership of the Directors. To say that everything is hunky dory ofcourse would mean that either I am naive or a fool with no idea about what goes in the Pharma Industry. I cannot speak for Government tendered medicines or vouch for their quality. There are many issues such as homeopaths & ayurveds quacks prescribing allopathic medicines left right & centre under the nose of the MCI , " setting" between physicians & pharmaceutical companies which results in unnecessary medicines being prescribed to the patients in private & public domains, over-presription of antibiotics by GP's who do not have the right & the knowledge to prescribe them, prescription of new molecules without follow up etc which needs to be exposed and will be. Savio Figueiredo B. Pharm Community Pharmacist Dr Carlos Medical Stores Aldona, Bardez, Goa 403508 Tel : 00918322293307 (M) 9822142037 "The hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray " ( copied from a T-shirt slogan at Mapusa Market) =
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style ( response to Savio Figueiredo)
QUOTE Thank you for your post. I am absolutely delighted that you (like me) believe that Goans are very honest professionals, esp in comparison to their counterparts on the rest of the subcontinent. UNQUOTE ..Josebab Colaco Please see Josebab's post appended below for the entire context. Contrary to Josebab's claim above, Savio has not stated that he believes that "Goans are very honest professionals, especially in comparison to their counterparts on the rest of the subcontinent". In other words, this beliefs is Josebab's alone, at least in the present context. If Josebab or anybody else has verifiable evidence that Goan professionals are more honest per capita of population than their counterparts based on some characteristic such as race, ethnicity, religion, language, culture, etc, then it would be instructive if they could present it here. Cheers, Santosh > On Friday, September 5, 2014 8:47 AM, Jose wrote: > > On Sep 5, 2014, at 2:50 AM, Savio Figueiredo wrote via Cecil Pinto > > " (1) India produces the best & cheapest medicines in the whole world. > (2) Why on earth would someone wish to bring in medicines in container loads > and sell them cheap in Goa ? (3) This may have been happening 40 years back > when > there was no manufacturing base in Goa & India > > (4) Today I can proudly state that the availability of spurious, duplicate or > mis-branded products at the pharmacy level in Goa is almost zero and (5) the > FDA in Goa is one of the most honest Departments in Goa as well as India (6) > and > this has been so over the last 25 years & more due to honest leadership of > the Directors. > > (7) To say that everything is hunky dory of course would mean that either I > am > naive or a fool with no idea about what goes in the Pharma Industry > > Dear Savio, > > Thank you for your post. I am absolutely delighted that you (like me) believe > that Goans are very honest professionals, esp in comparison to their > counterparts on the rest of the subcontinent. > > The points in your post, however, are in stark contrast to those made by Shiv > Kumar, an individual I have come to e-trust over the past several years. > > A couple of queries, one to Shiv and one to You (Savio) > > SHIV, the statements you have made with regard to the Faking of Audits and > the > Untested medications being provided to ( and possibly being dispensed by ) > the > Specialist doctors, raise potentially Criminal issues. I wonder if you have > any > VERIFIABLE evidence of wrong doing or if you are merely relying on hearsay. > IF > you have the verifiable evidence, what have you done with it? > > SAVIO, while I know that medicines manufactured in China and India are among > the > least expensive ones, could you guide us to the protocol / study you utilised > to > conclude that "India produces the best medicines in the whole world"? > > jc >
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style ( response to Savio Figueiredo)
On Sep 5, 2014, at 2:50 AM, Savio Figueiredo wrote via Cecil Pinto " (1) India produces the best & cheapest medicines in the whole world. (2) Why on earth would someone wish to bring in medicines in container loads and sell them cheap in Goa ? (3) This may have been happening 40 years back when there was no manufacturing base in Goa & India (4) Today I can proudly state that the availability of spurious, duplicate or mis-branded products at the pharmacy level in Goa is almost zero and (5) the FDA in Goa is one of the most honest Departments in Goa as well as India (6) and this has been so over the last 25 years & more due to honest leadership of the Directors. (7) To say that everything is hunky dory of course would mean that either I am naive or a fool with no idea about what goes in the Pharma Industry Dear Savio, Thank you for your post. I am absolutely delighted that you (like me) believe that Goans are very honest professionals, esp in comparison to their counterparts on the rest of the subcontinent. The points in your post, however, are in stark contrast to those made by Shiv Kumar, an individual I have come to e-trust over the past several years. A couple of queries, one to Shiv and one to You (Savio) SHIV, the statements you have made with regard to the Faking of Audits and the Untested medications being provided to ( and possibly being dispensed by ) the Specialist doctors, raise potentially Criminal issues. I wonder if you have any VERIFIABLE evidence of wrong doing or if you are merely relying on hearsay. IF you have the verifiable evidence, what have you done with it? SAVIO, while I know that medicines manufactured in China and India are among the least expensive ones, could you guide us to the protocol / study you utilised to conclude that "India produces the best medicines in the whole world"? jc
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
A response from my friend Savio Figueiredo who can be contacted on rendeep1 at yahoo dot com - I do not wish to get personal. I googled Mr Roland Francis and have noted that he is based in Toronto Canada.I dont know whether he is from the Pharma field . On the other hand I am a Pharmacy Graduate and have worked in Pharma industry in Goa in the manufacturing , Materials- Purchase, Logistics and now Retail Pharmacy for more than 29 years. I have worked in Managerial positions in the CMM Group of Companies & German Remedies Ltd.and have been associated with M/s Unichem Laboratories Ltd. Just because we are employees of the company does not mean that they have purchased our souls.Please note that we are possibly talking about life saving medicines and it would be a criminal act to play with the lives of patients. During my time I have been witness to batches worth lacs of rupees being trashed as they did not meet standards. I have known the QC Pharmacists stand their ground about the quality of the raw materials & final products. India produces the best & cheapest medicines in the whole world. Why on earth would someone wish to bring in medicines in container loads and sell them cheap in Goa ? This may have been happening 40 years back when there was no manufacturing base in Goa & India Today I can proudly state that the availability of spurious, duplicate or mis-branded products at the pharmacy level in Goa is almost zero and the FDA in Goa is one of the most honest Departments in Goa as well as India and this has been so over the last 25 years & more due to honest leadership of the Directors. To say that everything is hunky dory ofcourse would mean that either I am naive or a fool with no idea about what goes in the Pharma Industry. I cannot speak for Government tendered medicines or vouch for their quality. There are many issues such as homeopaths & ayurveds quacks prescribing allopathic medicines left right & centre under the nose of the MCI , " setting" between physicians & pharmaceutical companies which results in unnecessary medicines being prescribed to the patients in private & public domains, over-presription of antibiotics by GP's who do not have the right & the knowledge to prescribe them, prescription of new molecules without follow up etc which needs to be exposed and will be. Savio Figueiredo B. Pharm Community Pharmacist Dr Carlos Medical Stores Aldona, Bardez, Goa 403508 Tel : 00918322293307 (M) 9822142037 "The hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray " ( copied from a T-shirt slogan at Mapusa Market) =
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Dears, I have excerpted some points from the discussion thus far. My comments follow at the foot [A] Shiv Kumar wrote: 1: Last week, I was in Goa for my business. I met a few of people from the audit departments of a few pharma companies whose plants are in Goa. 2: After building a good rapport, one auditor confided with me that their people routinely fake test data for audit 3: Another audit guy who works for an MNC pharma said that their plant makes formulations for their global operations. in that, they give ingredients exactly as specified. However, they sell the same API (raw material) to Indian companies for Indian distribution.there, they give lower quality ingredients, though they specify higher grade. 4: Finally, another trend in Goa medical practice: Some generic pharma companies approach big specialist doctors. They offer to make customised formulation with the doctor's branding. 5: I took photos of some tablet strips. They were definitely not tested for anything. 6: I know a lot about pharma industry, being involved with it for 21 years. [B] Savio Figueiredo wrote(via Cecil Pinto): 7: This is a case of a complete work of fiction created from a little fact 8: That Doctors are hand in gloves in the industry is a universal fact and DIRECT MONEY TRANSFER is involved forget about gifts, parties and foreign trips [C] Cecil Pinto wrote : 9: I read the report by Shiv Kumar and found it did not quite ring true. [D] Roland Francis wrote: 10: I do not agree with your pharmacist friend Savio Figueiredo that Shiv Kumar's (the journalist) account is one of fiction. --COMMENT--: a: I have NO way of knowing what is factual and what is not in the Shiv Kumar post on Goanet. b: To the best of my knowledge, Shiv is an honorable man. He is not the type who is given to flamboyant speculation. c: In #s 1-3, he relates information that was allegedly told to him. That info could be true, semi-true or false. d: I am led to believe that Shiv was given that info. Need to see more before I believe the info. e: # 4 points to possible ethical violations (criminal if untested and unapproved tablets are being dispensed). f: re: #5, IF the strip of tablets carries the name of the specialist doctor, it might be of legal value - especially if the 'medication' was prescribed by the doctor. If not, the value is nebulous. g: Not very sure if I am the only person confused by #s 7 and 8 from Savio. h: Not very sure if ALL or part of Shiv's report rang untrue to Cecil. (#9) i: Until Shiv produces definite proof wrt the Specialist Doctors, it is very difficult to agree or disagree with Roland Francis (#10) PS: I return to my belief that Shiv Kumar is an honorable man. The story, as related by him, may contain some facts and some fiction. Until verifiable proof wrt the 'Specialist doctors' is provided, that charge remains speculative and even defamatory of Goan doctors. It is possible that Shiv's idea was to alert Goans (via their journos) of the unethical and even dangerous practices which may be prevalent in Goa 2014. May be, those unethical chaps (docs) will stop. May be they will merely lay low for some time and then return to 'business as usual'. May be ! jc
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
It is always prudent to follow the notion that truth is somewhere in between. It is not hard to find evidence for the belief that there are corrupt pharmacists, doctors, businessmen and financial analysts anywhere, and at any time in history. The question is only of scale, and of the causes that are attributed to it, because the latter in particular depend on the biases of the persons making and believing the claims. Any reasonable unbiased person though would recognize that these corrupt practices have nothing to do with race, ethnicity, nationality or religion, and in Goa they certainly have nothing to do with liberation from the Portuguese, which in Goan forums is usually a code word for the former categories lumped together in the minds of people who consciously or unconsciously hold these prejudices. Cheers, Santosh > On Tuesday, September 2, 2014 4:41 PM, Roland Francis > wrote: > > Ok Cecil as you requested, I am judging for myself: > > I do not agree with your pharmacist friend Savio Figueiredo that Shiv > Kumar's (the journalist) account is one of fiction. > > Savio's arguments against Shiv's observations consist only of: > 1. There are many ethical and honest pharmacists who will not allow this to > happen. > Comment: These are manufacturer's employees are they not? Can they > countermand their owner's orders? > > 2. There is a lot of paperwork that has to be completed. Beyond a little > manipulation it cannot all be falsified. > Comment: You have better faith in India's FDA audit and enforcement than > justified by their history. Or paperwork in India, in general. > > Even 40 years ago such manufacturing malpractices were prevalent. Small > unknown > manufacturers whose pharma products were worthless, were on the list of > approved > drugs of ESI (Employees State Insurance). Even at that time, no self > respecting > physician would prescribe them. Your personal physicians kept their Rxs to > foreign companies. > > Shiv Kumar is only stating the well known, even 40 years ago. The smelling of > fishiness is not with what Shiv Kumar wrote - only with prevailing practices > in > Goa and the rest of India. > > Now to hear Savio's own expose, when it comes. > > Roland. > > Sent from my iPhone > > >> On Sep 2, 2014, at 11:39 AM, Cecil Pinto > wrote: >> >> I read the report below by Shiv Kumar and found it did not quite ring true. >> I asked a knowledgeable and experienced pharmacist friend to comment. >> Both viewpoints are below: >> >> Judge for yourself. >> >> Cheers! >> >> Cecil >> >> >> >> >> >> Shiv Kumar - Journalist: >> >> Last week, I was in Goa for my business. I met a few of people from >> the audit departments of a few pharma companies whose plants are in >> Goa. >> >> After building a good rapport, one auditor confided with me that their >> people routinely fake test data for audit, even now after Ranbaxy and >> Wockhardt scare. >> >> Another audit guy who works for an MNC pharma said that their plant >> makes formulations for their global operations. in that, they give >> ingredients exactly as specified. However, they sell the same API (raw >> material) to Indian companies for Indian distribution (the MNC does >> not sell in India under its brands). There, they give lower quality >> ingredients, though they specify higher grade. So if the API is meant >> to be 60% active ingredient, it is usually 45-50% active ingredient >> and it is sold at cheaper prices to Indian pharma companies. Indian >> companies prepare tablets and sell, even though they know that the >> ingredient is of less than specified potency. Everybody in the >> industry apparently knows this open secret in Goa. >> >> A PRO of a well-known hospital in Goa told me there are some small >> time pharma companies who bring a couple of containers of their drugs >> into Goa and sell those tablets at very cheap rates to local doctors / >> pharmacies with strange, unknown brands. They throw parties for the >> doctors requesting them to write prescriptions for their brands. Once >> the containers are finished, they disappear. The brand or the company >> never comes again to the doctors. >> >> Finally, another trend in Goa medical practice: Some generic pharma >> companies approach big specialist doctors and offer to prepare tablets >> in the doctor's name!! They offer to make customised formulation with >> the doctor's branding. So you hear some funny brands that you never >> hear anywhere else. Only the other local doctors can tell that this >> brand is such and such doctor's brand of tablets. I took photos of >> some tablet strips. They were definitely not tested for anything. I >> know a lot about pharma industry, being involved with it for 21 years. >> One look at the contents and I could tell that all these ingredients >> cannot be put in one tablet - sort of a polypill with 38 ingredients. >> >> Some Goa doctors
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Ok Cecil as you requested, I am judging for myself: I do not agree with your pharmacist friend Savio Figueiredo that Shiv Kumar's (the journalist) account is one of fiction. Savio's arguments against Shiv's observations consist only of: 1. There are many ethical and honest pharmacists who will not allow this to happen. Comment: These are manufacturer's employees are they not? Can they countermand their owner's orders? 2. There is a lot of paperwork that has to be completed. Beyond a little manipulation it cannot all be falsified. Comment: You have better faith in India's FDA audit and enforcement than justified by their history. Or paperwork in India, in general. Even 40 years ago such manufacturing malpractices were prevalent. Small unknown manufacturers whose pharma products were worthless, were on the list of approved drugs of ESI (Employees State Insurance). Even at that time, no self respecting physician would prescribe them. Your personal physicians kept their Rxs to foreign companies. Shiv Kumar is only stating the well known, even 40 years ago. The smelling of fishiness is not with what Shiv Kumar wrote - only with prevailing practices in Goa and the rest of India. Now to hear Savio's own expose, when it comes. Roland. Sent from my iPhone > On Sep 2, 2014, at 11:39 AM, Cecil Pinto wrote: > > I read the report below by Shiv Kumar and found it did not quite ring true. > I asked a knowledgeable and experienced pharmacist friend to comment. > Both viewpoints are below: > > Judge for yourself. > > Cheers! > > Cecil > > > > > > Shiv Kumar - Journalist: > > Last week, I was in Goa for my business. I met a few of people from > the audit departments of a few pharma companies whose plants are in > Goa. > > After building a good rapport, one auditor confided with me that their > people routinely fake test data for audit, even now after Ranbaxy and > Wockhardt scare. > > Another audit guy who works for an MNC pharma said that their plant > makes formulations for their global operations. in that, they give > ingredients exactly as specified. However, they sell the same API (raw > material) to Indian companies for Indian distribution (the MNC does > not sell in India under its brands). There, they give lower quality > ingredients, though they specify higher grade. So if the API is meant > to be 60% active ingredient, it is usually 45-50% active ingredient > and it is sold at cheaper prices to Indian pharma companies. Indian > companies prepare tablets and sell, even though they know that the > ingredient is of less than specified potency. Everybody in the > industry apparently knows this open secret in Goa. > > A PRO of a well-known hospital in Goa told me there are some small > time pharma companies who bring a couple of containers of their drugs > into Goa and sell those tablets at very cheap rates to local doctors / > pharmacies with strange, unknown brands. They throw parties for the > doctors requesting them to write prescriptions for their brands. Once > the containers are finished, they disappear. The brand or the company > never comes again to the doctors. > > Finally, another trend in Goa medical practice: Some generic pharma > companies approach big specialist doctors and offer to prepare tablets > in the doctor's name!! They offer to make customised formulation with > the doctor's branding. So you hear some funny brands that you never > hear anywhere else. Only the other local doctors can tell that this > brand is such and such doctor's brand of tablets. I took photos of > some tablet strips. They were definitely not tested for anything. I > know a lot about pharma industry, being involved with it for 21 years. > One look at the contents and I could tell that all these ingredients > cannot be put in one tablet - sort of a polypill with 38 ingredients. > > Some Goa doctors told me that these days, they trust medicines only if > they are imported > > > > > Savio Figueiredo - Pharmacist: > > This is a case of a complete work of fiction created from a little fact > > 1. There is a huge amount of documentation work involved in the manufacture > of pharmaceuticals - some important , other just donkey work. There are > important parameters like the the weight of tablets manufactured, the > ambient temperature, pressure & humidity and there are cleaning records. It > is true that some of the documentation manipulated and just filled up, but > I do not think the quality is compromised > > 2. Please note that the pharmacists working in the industry are decent > human beings & professionals and most of them have ethics and will in no > way allow such sub-standard products to the manufactured. I have worked in > the manufacturing and now have good friends in the manufacturing quality > control & quality assurance depts. They will in no way partake, support and > allow such blatant criminal acts. > > 3. That Doctors are hand in gloves
Re: [Goanet] business of medicine, Goa style
Dear Shiv, Two quick points: 1: Is it really "business of medicine, Goa style" OR "business of medicine, India style"? 2: Thank Goodness for the "Librashun"..Would you not agree? jc suggested references: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/10/AR2010091006700.html http://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-why-substandard-and-fake-drugs-are-rampant-in-india/20130614.htm http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/world/asia/medicines-made-in-india-set-off-safety-worries.html?_r=0 http://sirulu.com/assocham-says-fake-drugs-india-may-cross-us-10-billion-next-three-years/ > On Aug 31, 2014, at 9:28 PM, Shiv Kumar wrote: > > From another mailing list that deals with specific stocks: > > Last week, I was in Goa for my business. I met a few of people from > the audit departments of a few pharma companies whose plants are in > Goa. > > After building a good rapport, one auditor confided with me that their > people routinely fake test data for audit, even now after Ranbaxy and > Wockhardt scare. > > Another audit guy who works for an MNC pharma said that their plant > makes formulations for their global operations. in that, they give > ingredients exactly as specified. However, they sell the same API (raw > material) to Indian companies for Indian distribution (the MNC does > not sell in India under its brands). There, they give lower quality > ingredients, though they specify higher grade. So if the API is meant > to be 60% active ingredient, it is usually 45-50% active ingredient > and it is sold at cheaper prices to Indian pharma companies. Indian > companies prepare tablets and sell, even though they know that the > ingredient is of less than specified potency. Everybody in the > industry apparently knows this open secret in Goa. > > A PRO of a well-known hospital in Goa told me there are some small > time pharma companies who bring a couple of containers of their drugs > into Goa and sell those tablets at very cheap rates to local doctors / > pharmacies with strange, unknown brands. They throw parties for the > doctors requesting them to write prescriptions for their brands. Once > the containers are finished, they disappear. The brand or the company > never comes again to the doctors. > > Finally, another trend in Goa medical practice: Some generic pharma > companies approach big specialist doctors and offer to prepare tablets > in the doctor's name!! They offer to make customised formulation with > the doctor's branding. So you hear some funny brands that you never > hear anywhere else. Only the other local doctors can tell that this > brand is such and such doctor's brand of tablets. I took photos of > some tablet strips. They were definitely not tested for anything. I > know a lot about pharma industry, being involved with it for 21 years. > One look at the contents and I could tell that all these ingredients > cannot be put in one tablet - sort of a polypill with 38 ingredients. > > Some Goa doctors told me that these days, they trust medicines only if > they are imported
