Local Pharmaceutical Companies Research Articles

Multi-actor system dynamics in access to disease-modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis in Southeast Asia: A regional survey and suggestions for improvement

BackgroundDespite the global availability of multiple sclerosis (MS) treatments, accessing and financing them in Southeast Asia (SEA) remains a challenge. This descriptive survey-based study aimed to describe the current state of MS treatment access and local access dynamics within this region. MethodsThe survey questionnaire, comprising of 15 closed-ended and five open-ended questions, was developed by three neurologists with expertise in MS and routine MS patient management, or had training in neuroimmunology. Questionnaire development was guided by the recent Atlas of MS and in alignment with the Access to Treatment framework, focusing on MS diagnosis and treatment issues in SEA. Fifteen neurologists experienced in managing MS across the region were identified as key informants for this study. ResultsAll fifteen neurologists participated in the survey via email and videoconferencing between January 2020 and February 2023, which included the following countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Lao PDR, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. All had at least five years of experience in managing MS patients and six had previously completed a neuroimmunology fellowship programme. SEA countries showed disparities in healthcare financing, availability of neurologists, MS treatments, and investigative tools. Access to MS disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) is hindered by high cost, lack of MS specialists, and weak advocacy efforts. On-label DMTs are not listed as essential medicines regionally except for interferon beta1a and teriflunomide in Malaysia. On-label monoclonals are available only in Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand. Generic on-label DMTs are unavailable due to lack of distributorship and expertise in using them. Off-label DMTs (azathioprine, methotrexate, and rituximab) predominate in most SEA countries. Other challenges include limited access to investigations, education, and knowledge about DMTs among general neurologists, and absence of registries and MS societies. Patient champions, communities, and MS organisations have limited influence on local governments and pharmaceutical companies. Despite its increasing prevalence, there is a lack of concerted priority setting due to MS being perceived as a rare, non-communicable disease. ConclusionThis study highlights the distinct dynamics, challenges, and research gaps within this region, and provides suggestions to improve MS diagnosis, education, and medicine access.

Emergencies in occupational medicine: the experience of an on-site medical office

Abstract Objective : Medical emergencies (ME) in the occupational medicine (OM) office represent an increasingly frequent challenge, because they may require treatment or an ambulance, involving monitoring the patient, halting scheduled activity. The objective of this retrospective observational study was to study ME in the on-site medical office of a local pharmaceutical company, with an emphasis on the differences between major and minor emergencies, and on the factors associated with a longer duration of consultations, in order to optimize management. Methods : ME in the on-site office of a local company, January - June 2023 (109 working days), were recorded. The presentations were divided into 2 groups (G): G1 - ME that required ambulance/hospitalization/immediate treatment (etiological and/or symptomatic) and G2 - ME without immediate intervention. Results : During the 109 working days analyzed, 173 consultations involved ME (12.5% of the total presentations), with a mean of 1.6 presentations/day, On the 62 days with ME, the average was 2.7 presentations/day. The presentations, with a mean age of 40.8 years and a female predominance (69.4%), were divided into 2 groups: G1 included 95 (54.9%) presentations with immediate intervention, G2 - 78 (45.1%). In G1, 8 (8.4%) presentations required ambulance to hospital, 39 (41.1%) received etiological treatment, and 76 (81.1%) symptomatic treatment. Presentations for infectious diseases in a pandemic context ranked first This emphasizes the role of the OM physician in assessing Covid-19 contacts/patients. An ME consultation lasted on average 16.2 minutes, with a maximum of 19.4 minutes (excluding Covid-19 rapid testing). The most frequent ME complaints/humors were of cardiovascular, neurological, digestive and musculoskeletal origin. The maximum duration was in cardiovascular disease, associated with each type of intervention (p<0.0001 in the 3 cases: ambulatory/symptomatic/etiological treatment). Conclusion : ME in the OM doctor’ activity are frequent, more so in middle-aged women, especially between 12:01-16:00. They add approximately 2-3 consultations daily, in addition to the scheduled ones (30-45 additional minutes). Most ME require medical intervention: treatment in the office/ambulance. Apart from the COVID-19 context, most ME were cardiovascular (most time-consuming), digestive, neurological, and musculoskeletal. The duration of emergency consultations, additional to appointments, could require dedicated intervals, in order not to overload the physician. A systematized analysis of ME, paralleled by a good feedback towards the employer, could favor an individualized approach and an optimized endowment of the office, allowing identification of undiagnosed chronic disease, which would enhance productivity.

Inventory Control of Vaccine Products in Pharmaceutical Company Using The Economic Order Quantity Model and Monte Carlo Simulation

Health is a basic need in human life. People spend a lot of money to maintain their health. One of the preventive health service options is to vaccinate. Indonesia is a country that can produce its own vaccines with its local pharmaceutical companies. The company faces stiff competition in today's rapidly growing market. Therefore, evaluation and assessment are needed to measure the progress of the company's development. One useful assessment is a company's financial review. Inventory control ensures that the planned approach can minimize costs without disrupting the production process. This research simulates data of demand and analyzes the inventory control based on simulated data. The object used in this research is the inventory of products of pharmaceutical companies. The data used is secondary data such as data of product quantity sold per period, purchasing cost, order cost, holding cost, shortage cost, and lead time. The method used for inventory control is Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model and Monte Carlo simulation. The simulation results on the monthly demand for vaccine products show that the total demand for one year is 3.394.805 vials for Vaccine A, 1.320.900 vials for Vaccine B and 107.345 for Vaccine C. Based on simulated data processing, calculations using the probabilistic EOQ model result in total inventory costs of Rp.456.918.008.386,14 for Vaccine A, Rp 218.292.795.949,34 for Vaccine B, and Rp. 9.177.930.319,05 for Vaccine C.

The Efficacy of Human Resource Management Practices in Building Organizational Commitment of Employees: Evidence from Pharmaceutical Sector of Pakistan

This study aimed to investigate the adoption level of standardized HRM practices (compensation, performance evaluation, and promotion) by local and multinational pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan. Furthermore, the study also attempted to analyze the impact of these practices on organizational commitment of employees in the investigated firms. Using random sampling technique, data was collected from 503 sales representatives of various pharmaceutical companies operating in the country. Results of one-sample t test presented that multinational companies have a higher level of adoption of standardized HRM practices than local companies. Similarly, multiple regression analyses demonstrated that compensation, performance evaluation and promotion practices significantly influence employees' organizational commitment. These findings provide support for the contingency approach to HRM. The study's practical implications suggest that the manufacturing companies should adopt standardized HRM practices to increase organizational commitment among their employees.

Investigating the Relationship Between the Market Orientation Approach of Pharmaceutical Companies and Their Innovative Performance: The Mediating Role of Dynamic Capabilities and Corporate Social Responsibility

Background: Given the intensifying competition, adapting to the market environment and meeting customer demands are crucial aspects of the evolving marketing process. Market orientation (MO) represents an organizational culture encompassing shared beliefs and values that prioritize the customer's role in business planning. Objectives: This study seeks to explore the impact of MO on innovative performance (IP) and the potential mediating role of dynamic capabilities (DC) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in this relationship. Methods: For this study, a structured quantitative questionnaire was distributed to 100 local pharmaceutical companies, resulting in 300 completed questionnaires. Each questionnaire consisted of four main components, which were filled out by three managers from each company: Chief executive officer (CEO), marketing manager, and research and development manager. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software and structural equation methods to examine the research questions and hypotheses. Results: According to the study findings, there was a positive correlation between employee age, organizational structure, sales volume, and the presence of private companies with IP. MO, DC, and CSR showed a direct and significant relationship with IP. Moreover, the CSR of the company influenced IP through the mediating role of DC. Market orientation was found to enhance explorative IP, leading to improvements in existing processes and services. Conclusions: Based on the study results, it was found that MO has a direct positive impact on IP, leading to improvements in the company's existing processes through its influence on exploratory performance.

Pharmacokinetics, Bioequivalence, and Safety of Esomeprazole Magnesium Enteric-Coated Capsules in Healthy Chinese Subjects.

This bioequivalence study is critically important for drug production. Recently, a local pharmaceutical company produced esomeprazole magnesium enteric-coated capsules, a major drug to help to eradicate Helicobacter pylori, but the bioequivalence is not well known. The present study aimed to evaluate the bioequivalence of the 2 esomeprazole magnesium enteric-coated capsules and their pharmacokinetics and safety in 3 biological equivalence trials: fasting, feeding, and mixing. The fasting and mixing trials used single-centered randomized, open-label, single-dose, 2-treatment, 2-period, and 2-sequence crossover design, while the fed trials used single-centered, randomized, open-label, single-dose, 2-treatment, 3-period, 3-sequence partial crossover design. For the fasting and mixing trials, each of the 32 subjects was fasted overnight prior to taking the test preparations or reference preparations. In the fed trial, 54 subjects were given a high-fat meal 1 hour before the drugs were administered. Blood specimens from all subjects were collected against the light within 14hours, with the plasma drug concentration being detected by the validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis method. Geometric mean ratio of maximum concentration, the area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to the last measurable concentration, and area under the concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity with 90% confidence interval were calculated. The data from fasting, mixing, and fed trials met the bioequivalence criteria. No serious adverse reactions were found, suggesting that the test and reference preparations of esomeprazole magnesium enteric capsules have similar safety profile.

Brazilian national production of active pharmaceutical ingredients: regulatory and strategic framework.

Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) is any component of the final pharmaceutical product that serves as the active ingredient. The goal of the API Manufacturing is to produce APIs that are competitively priced and meet the quality standards with the least possible impact on the environment. The global API market is expected to experience massive growth in the coming years reaching the size of USD 355.94 billion. The global Pharmaceutical Industry is facing a new scenario in 2023 after responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this new panorama, rethinking the pharmaceutical production and market is necessary. Despite Brazil's prominence in terms of worldwide pharmaceutical spending, only 5% of the APIs required by local pharmaceutical companies are produced domestically. Therefore, Brazil is an untapped field for APIs' manufacturing and faces a scenario of health vulnerability associated with the reliance on foreign API imports to ensure the viability of national Pharmaceutical Production and Services. Huge investments are required to boost the growth of the API Manufacturing sector. Herein is presented a critical analysis of the current regulatory and strategic status of Brazilian national production and/or acquisition of APIs, which represent the key starting materials for the Pharmaceutical Industry.

Implementation of Total Productive Maintenance in a Local Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Company in the Philippines

This paper determines the implementation of total productive maintenance (TPM) at a pharmaceutical manufacturing company in the Philippines. It also assesses the significance of TPM practices from the viewpoint of employees involved in production. A total of 44 employees participated in the survey. The data gathered were analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2019 Data analysis. The extent of TPM implementation was ranked by the value of the weighted mean, the practices that had the higher weighted average, implemented to a great extent. The significance of TPM practices was tested with the aid of a t-test statistical tool at a hypothesized mean of 2.5. The findings revealed that the manufacturing company implemented TPM practices to a high extent to maintain integrity and improve production quality by reducing downtime through preventive maintenance, technology assessment and usage, and employee involvement in maintaining their equipment. The results also indicated the significance of TPM practices in improving a company’s production quality. The results of the study provide guidance and references to improve maintenance procedures and improve productivity.

A Comparative Pharmaceutical Evaluation of Amlodipine (5mg)

The objective of this study is to evaluate the pharmaceutical properties of three brands of Amlodipine (5mg) for local and international pharmaceutical companies. The main aim is to evaluate whether compliance with the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) is implemented for physical and chemical parameters including: assay, dissolution, hardness, thickness, length and disintegration. A HPLC device was used in the assay test to determine the percentage of the labeled amount of amlodipine (active ingredient) in the portion of tablets or capsules. Results of assay test showed that values for Norvasc, Myodipine and Nordip were 97.83%, 95.31%, and 93.64% respectively, which are within the acceptable range of 90-110% of the labeled amount of amlodipine. UV-VisibleSpectrometer was used in dissolution test to measure the percentage of dissolved amlodipine. Results of dissolution test showed that values for Norvasc, Myodipine and Nordip were 99.795%, 99.415% and 96.61 respectively, which are all within the acceptable range of not less than 75% of the labeled amount of dissolved amlodipine. Tablets andcapsules were subjected to various physical tests which included hardness, thickness, length and disintegration. Results were statistically analyzed as per USP official methods. The study concluded that all brands of Amlodipine Besylate showed satisfactory results for the chemical and physical tests.

Biologics for Non-Cancer Dermatological Diseases: Analysis on China’s Clinical Trial Registration Trend From 2016 to 2020

Background: In the past 5 years, China has quickly followed US’s steps to approve the new drug application of biologics for dermatological diseases. There is an increasing interest in the current biologic landscape and further potentials in China. Our study aims to analyze features of clinical trials on non-cancer dermatological biologics and synthesize recent achievements and impediments, in order to forecast the development trends in China. Methods: Three registers (the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, Center for Drug Evaluation, and ClinicalTrials.gov) were searched for clinical trials of non-cancer dermatological biologics initiated between 2016 and 2020 in mainland China. Trial information (the first posted year, sponsor type, study phase and site, recruitment status, disease, drug target, and drug registration type) and certain study design (selection of the control group, primary efficacy outcome, and inclusion of patient-reported outcome for non–phase I or II trials only) information were extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 60 trials were identified. The number of registered dermatological biologic trials significantly increased with an annual increase of 59% from 2016 to 2020, primarily driven by psoriasis (47/60, 78.3%) and atopic dermatitis (6/60, 10.0%) trials. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-17 remained the hottest drug targets (17/60, 28.3% for TNF-α and 18/60, 30.0% for IL-17). In addition to TNF-α and IL-17, many new psoriasis drug targets came into place since 2018 (IL-12/23) and 2019 (IL-36 and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1)). Thirty percent (18/60) of the trials were conducted for biosimilar products, all of which were sponsored by local pharmaceutical companies and 88.9% of which were targeting on TNF-α. Targets of IL-36, IL-5, and IgE were only available in trials sponsored by global companies. Conclusion: There was great progress on the innovation of dermatological biologics in the past 5 years in China in terms of surged number of clinical trials, increased biosimilars and “me-too” drugs which greatly improved patient access to novel treatments, execution of parallel clinical trials, and improved hospital GCP office and regulatory environment. Further efforts for local pharmaceutical companies should include relocating resources to exploring novel drug targets and dermatological diseases other than psoriasis or atopic dermatitis. Systematic Review Registration: [website], identifier [registration number].

A Big Data strategy to reinforce self-sustainability for pharmaceutical companies in the digital transformation era: A case study of Egyptian pharmaceutical companies

The Big Data-driven economy has emerged, and data is known as the new petroleum of the current century. Big Data (BD) analytics can play an essential role in building a self-sustainable competitive advantage for the pharmaceutical industry by feeding pharmaceutical drug corporations with different directions, patterns, and behaviours of the health’s ecosystem. Unfortunately, many Egyptian local pharmaceutical companies use obsolete strategies to create a standalone competitive advantage. Most of these firms face numerous challenges in adopting a smart strategy based on BD analytics. This research provides an overview of the barriers that hinder the full utilization of BD analytics in local Egyptian pharmaceutical firms. These obstacles are categorized into four groups: culture, strategies, technology and processes. A descriptive analysis methodology was applied to create an in-depth understanding of BD challenges. The qualitative study consists of two approaches: case-analysis study and semi-structured interviews. Furthermore, we suggest a comprehensive strategy that includes five phases (Analysis, Benchmark, Design, Implement, and Evaluate). This strategy is an advanced adaptation of the digital transformation maturity model and can be used as a guideline to effectively adopt and utilize the BD analytics approach.

Development of Pharmaceutical Nanomedicines: From the Bench to the Market.

Nanotechnology plays a significant role in the field of medicine and in drug delivery, mainly due to the major limitations affecting the conventional pharmaceutical agents, and older formulations and delivery systems. The effect of nanotechnology on healthcare is already being felt, as various nanotechnology applications have been developed, and several nanotechnology-based medicines are now on the market. Across many parts of the world, nanotechnology draws increasing investment from public authorities and the private sector. Most conventional drug-delivery systems (CDDSs) have an immediate, high drug release after administration, leading to increased administration frequency. Thus, many studies have been carried out worldwide focusing on the development of pharmaceutical nanomedicines for translation into products manufactured by local pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical nanomedicine products are projected to play a major role in the global pharmaceutical market and healthcare system. Our objectives were to examine the nanomedicines approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the global market, to briefly cover the challenges faced during their development, and to look at future perspectives. Additionally, the importance of nanotechnology in developing pharmaceutical products, the ideal properties of nanocarriers, the reasons behind the failure of some nanomedicines, and the important considerations in the development of nanomedicines will be discussed in brief.

Study on Protection of the Right to Health, Access to Medicines and the Construction of the Rule of Law for Medicine Patents

The Access to Medicines is related to the basic rights of people's rights to life and health. It has been widely recognized by international conventions and has become a basic duty of the state to ensure and improve the level of citizens' access to medicines. At the same time, in the face of increasingly widespread uncertainties in modern society, building a fair and efficient legal system for medicines access is a necessary measure to promote citizens' trust in the government and maintain the legitimacy of power. In the conditions of 1.3 billion population and an unbalanced and inadequate economic development, China strives to ensure that its citizens’ medicines are economically affordable through continuous improvement of the legal system and arrangements, and to encourage local pharmaceutical companies to develop and manufacture better-quality medicines. On the premise of respecting the status of market players and property rights of pharmaceutical companies, China comprehensively uses diversified tools such as information, standards, market access, and competition law enforcement to establish a legal system for medicines accessibility from two channels: supply guarantee and price control. Particular attention is paid to the adjustment of the medical and social insurance and essential medicines systems. In recent years, China has focused on improving the pharmaceutical patent system, promoting the balanced development of local original research medicines and generic medicines, as well as the overall optimization and upgrading of the pharmaceutical industry through the protection of patent rights and appropriate restrictions. Driven by the economic and trade agreement reached between China and the United States in 2020, China's Patent Law will introduce a drug patent term extension system and a drug patent linkage system, and further improve the legal mechanism to encourage innovative activities of pharmaceutical companies.

The world has a unique opportunity: Accelerating technology transfer and vaccine production through partnerships

The global roll-out of vaccines is crucial to defeating the pandemic, but the lack of technical know-how and manufacturing infrastructure for production are constraining the speedy provision of vaccines globally. This will remain true even if the intellectual property rights of COVID-19 vaccines are waived temporarily. To accelerate technology transfer and global vaccine production, this article calls for the promotion of joint ventures between global COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers and local pharmaceutical companies so as to create regional manufacturing hubs. These joint ventures must be supported financially by global North countries, international organisations, and host-country governments. This approach will incentivize pharmaceutical companies to share not only their patents but also tacit production knowledge because the risk and cost of setting up new facilities will be shared. In this paper, we show how the joint venture approach will have benefits for all the actors involve and generate positive impact on Sub-Saharan Africa and other regions over the long run. Following these policy proposals will not only help protect the global community from COVID-19 but will also present a rare window of opportunity to stimulate the life science industry in the global South, supporting sustainable economic and technological development.

A survey on the structure, organization, and functions of medical information departments in the pharmaceutical industry in Spain

The medical information (MI) function within the pharmaceutical industry plays a significant role in the provision of scientific answers for patients and healthcare professionals. The purpose of this study is to identify the current structure, organization, and functions of MI departments in Spain. Sixty local and international pharmaceutical companies based in Spain were invited to participate in this study between May and July 2019. An online 34–item questionnaire developed by the AMIFE MI Working Group was distributed to the companies. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using response frequencies. A total of 44 responses from 60 surveys (73%) were received. More than half of the respondents were employed in international companies based in Europe (57%, n = 25). Seventy-one percent (n = 31) of the companies had 100 to 1,000 employees in Spain. Most respondents declared that they had an MI department in their company (73%, n = 32), with most (53%) having two to five employees working on MI. Most MI (n = 50) specialists had a biomedical academic degree (predominantly pharmacy, biology, and medicine). MI departments were involved in many functions, the most common being answering enquiries (100%), handling drug information requests (97%), preparing written responses (94%), and literature services for external use (77%). The mean annual volume of MI enquiries was 2,301 (median 1,100). The results of this survey contribute to a better understanding of MI departments in Spanish pharmaceutical companies, as well as their functions and responsibilities, and could help identify opportunities and areas for improvement.

Developing UREs at a Community College Branch Campus: A Collaborative Approach

Faculty in STEM and administrators at the NCC-Monroe Campus recognized the importance of undergraduate research experiences as high-impact teaching practices but were realistic about the limitations of a two-year institution. As community and institutional partnerships are important in the creation of long-standing programs, faculty sought a community grant from a local pharmaceutical company, which provided the first NCC Stem Pipeline Project for 2016–2018.

What are the challenges for antibiotic stewardship at the community level? An analysis of the drivers of antibiotic provision by informal healthcare providers in rural India.

In many low- and middle-income countries, providers without formal training are an important source of antibiotics, but may provide these inappropriately, contributing to the rising burden of drug resistant infections. Informal providers (IPs) who practise allopathic medicine are part of India's pluralistic health system legacy. They outnumber formal providers but operate in a policy environment of unclear legitimacy, creating unique challenges for antibiotic stewardship. Using a systems approach we analysed the multiple intrinsic (provider specific) and extrinsic (community, health and regulatory system and pharmaceutical industry) drivers of antibiotic provision by IPs in rural West Bengal, to inform the design of community stewardship interventions. We surveyed 291 IPs in randomly selected village clusters in two contrasting districts and conducted in-depth interviews with 30 IPs and 17 key informants including pharmaceutical sales representatives, managers and wholesalers/retailers; medically qualified private and public doctors and health and regulatory officials. Eight focus group discussions were conducted with community members. We found a mosaic or bricolage of informal practices conducted by IPs, qualified doctors and industry stakeholders that sustained private enterprise and supplemented the weak public health sector. IPs' intrinsic drivers included misconceptions about the therapeutic necessity of antibiotics, and direct and indirect economic benefits, though antibiotics were not the most profitable category of drug sales. Private doctors were a key source of IPs' learning, often in exchange for referrals. IPs constituted a substantial market for local and global pharmaceutical companies that adopted aggressive business strategies to exploit less-saturated rural markets. Paradoxically, the top-down nature of regulations produced a regulatory impasse wherein regulators were reluctant to enforce heavy sanctions for illegal sales, fearing an adverse impact on rural healthcare, but could not implement enabling strategies to improve antibiotic provision due to legal barriers. We discuss the implications for a multi-stakeholder antibiotic stewardship strategy in this setting.

Impact of the Trade-Related Aspect of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement on Pharmaceutical Industry in Developing Countries: A Scoping Review.

Pharmaceutical companies in developing countries are heavily influenced by the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) agreement and economic liberalization rules. To adjust to the new patent regime, pharmaceutical companies had to adopt some strategies. A systematic review was conducted on the experiences of the pharmaceutical industry in developing countries and strategies adopted by local pharmaceutical companies to survive after the TRIPS agreement. Scopus, PubMed, and ProQuest databases were searched, and twenty-five papers were reviewed. The pharmaceutical industry experiences have been classified into successful and unsuccessful experiences based on criteria developed by the authors. Firm strategies were also divided into four categories based on external and internal factors: aggressive, conservative, competitive, and defensive strategies. Companies were able to survive and even grow after the TRIPS agreement by rebuilding their structures, improving their competencies, and adopting appropriate strategies in line with the new conditions.

Were it business opportunities or hidden risks: Observations on clinical trials and marketing authorizations of Gilead Science's remdesivir in China.

New drugs against the in COVID-19 pandemic are urgently needed. Gilead Science's remdesivir has been introduced to China through special approval procedures, and was directly conducting the Phase III clinical trial. As expected, the marketing authorization process was completed soon. The drug brought hope to patients as well as business opportunities to companies. However, we must pay attention to the patent competition, generic drug competition and other unfair competition that remdesivir may face in China. China also needs to strengthen the innovation ability and international cooperation ability of local pharmaceutical companies by taking advantages of the opportunity to introduce remdesivir.

A Comprehensive Study on Availability of Anti-cancer drugs in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

With the increasing rate of people being affected by cancer in Bangladesh, the disease has become a national concern. Anti-cancer drugs play a significant and crucial role in cancer treatment regimen. Inadequate access to essential anti-cancer medicines may impose serious public health problems in Bangladesh. The present study gives an insight on the availability of eleven WHO enlisted essential anticancer drugs that are commonly prescribed for the top five prevalent cancer types (Breast, Oesophagus, Lung, Cervix, Lips and Oral cavity) in Bangladesh. Expert advice on which essential anti-cancer medicines are commonly prescribed were gathered from oncologists of three medical college hospitals (Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) and National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital (NICRH). The study was conducted among a total of 151 pharmaceutical drug stores including 119 retail, 27 model and 5 hospital pharmacies. The sample size of 151 pharmacies was calculated for 4547 pharmacies in Dhaka district with 95% confidence interval and 8% margin of error. It was found that 74% of the pharmacy stores surveyed kept no anti-cancer drugs at all. There is a significant negative relationship between price and availability of oncology medicine for which Pearson’s correlation co-efficient ‘r’ is found to be -0.739 (p=0.01). This means that high priced medicines are less available. Pharmacy stores keep anti-cancer drugs from both local (81.9%) and foreign (18.1%) pharmaceutical companies. In order to evaluate sales performance of pharmacies in context of oncology drugs, monthly number of cancer patients buying medicines from these pharmacies has been studied as well. It has been found that supply of anti-cancer drugs by pharmaceutical companies among medicine stores is not homogenous. Availability and sales rate of oncology products in some pharmacies situated within the same area is way more than others and the number of customer (cancer patient) varies by wide margins. A comparative analysis on availability rate of model versus retail pharmacies in different areas of Dhaka city has been carried out. Retail pharmacies near cancer-care hospitals tend to keep more anti-cancer medicines compared to those situated away from cancer-care hospitals.
 Bangladesh Pharmaceutical Journal 23(2): 155-166, 2020