The government should set production-units like IDPL

By MADHU AGRAWAL

It is quite usual that many times some medical-practitioners including in Unani, Ayurvedic and Homeopathic fields mix strong doses of steroids in unbranded medicines like powders and syrups in a bid to exhibit their self-acclaimed expertise in curing diseases.

(I have my own bitter experience when my mother-in-law died at an early age of just 58 years on 21.08.1980 due to such daily dose of steroid-mixed unbranded Ayurvedic powder).

Central government should formulate some effective remedy to overcome the problem. Even though remedy lies in banning unbranded medicines, but the step is liable to open a pathway for minting money for drug manufacturers. Best remedy is that Central government may establish its own production units for all types of medicines including Allopathic, Unani, Homeopathic and Ayurvedic like once it had Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL) to provide cheaper branded medicines in all fields of medicines so that it may be feasible to impose a total ban on unbranded medicines.

Step will make drug-manufacturers to reduce prices of medicines where presently they are minting money out of their brand-names.

(MADHU AGRAWAL is Guinness Record Holder for letters in newspapers)