Although the government has opened up pharmaceutical industry for private sector investment, no satisfactory progress has been made in this sector. Over 70 per cent of the drugs are imported, mainly from India and Bangladesh; another five per cent come in the form of donations. Of the 43 domestic pharmaceutical industries, only eight maintain WHO’s GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards. Domestic companies produce general medicine but life-saving drugs are still imported.

Nepal is rich in medical plants but the country has not been able to harness this unique potential. Due to a huge profit margin (anywhere from 30 to 200 per cent), there is unhealthy competition among pharmaceutical companies.

The pharmacists and doctors, through free sample products, presents and commission, are encouraged to prescribe the drugs of a particular company. The pharmaceutical companies do not keep in mind the affordability of their products. And in the absence of any monitoring mechanism, there is a high tendency among the public to purchase drugs without prescription.

There is a provision of compensation for the victims in case of mistreatment by doctors: from Rs 5,000 (for damage done to fingers, hands or legs) to Rs 3 lakh (if the prescribed medicine takes the life of the patient or damages vital organs like the heart, liver, brain, lungs or kidneys). But people continue to suffer due to lack of knowledge and legal support system.

The price of a medicine varies fr-om one pharmacy to another. Many pharmacies charge high prices and often date-expired medicines make it to the rural market. A study of the Department of Drug Administration (DDA) showed that five per cent of medicines in the market are sub-standard. Of these samples, three were from domestic and 11 from Indian pharmaceuticals.

The drug addicts too can easily obtain harmful drugs from medical stores. But the DDA is still unable to monitor and control such practices. Some drug retailers are conducting Hepatitis B immunisation campaigns in the name of research. But the relevance or the side-effects of such campaigns is unknown. Reportedly, people are being made to pay Rs 150-200 when the real price of Hepatitis B vaccine is less than Rs. 40. But unfortunately the authority concerned neither brings out any information on the importance of Hepatitis B immunisation, nor controls the wrong practice. If the vaccine is effective, the government should make it available at an affordable price.

The government should work towards making the country self-dependent through appropriate encouragement for the domestic pharmaceutical industry. Moreover, a new code of conduct is needed to check the profit margin of the pharmaceuticals keeping in mind the consumers’ right to affordable and quality medicines. In this regard, the Nepal Chemist and Drug Association has announced to downsize profits by up to 17 per cent. This decision should be implemented without further delay.