Doctors, Pharmacy Students and Drug Companies: A First Week of Research in Pakistan

Abstract

Survey research is to collect the data representative of a population.1 When I stepped into the survey research in social pharmacy I do not have the remote idea what I will come across through. I opted for qualitative methodology which gives an in depth understanding of the problem.2 The thought of meeting people, probing and speaking them for issues makes me enthusiastic although sometimes I contemplate about their cooperation. The pre-testing of interview guide which is an essential step to refi ne the survey instrument3 refl ected scanty knowledge of generic medicines in every category of respondents whether dispensing doctors or pharmacy students. When in the fi rst instance I explained them about social pharmacy and the research project on generic medicines issues their responses were mixed. In spite of prescribing generic equivalents dispensing doctors were ignorant about the presence of generics in Pakistan. On probing they admitted that they considered generic equivalent a ‘research product of local manufacturer’. Students of Pharm D fi nal year from a public university were unable to differentiate between brand and generic medicines. Technocrats from a couple of multinational pharmaceutical companies blamed local manufacturers for not giving quality products to the market. They supported their answers with case studies and reaffi rmed my suspicion to step into branded generics for their own survival. One of the technocrats lamented on the hospital formulary of one of the reputed hospitals of Karachi which is defi nitely fulfi lling the criteria of state of excellence. The technocrat revealed that more than 70% medicines on the formulary are locally manufactured and in cases like antipsychotic and Clopidogrel doctors advised their patients to buy these therapeutic classes from outside pharmacies. Local manufacturer advocated compulsory licensing and suggested that building a large generic market takes time and requires supportive regulation and legislation, reliable quality assurance and professional and public acceptance.4