Fake medicines

Hundreds of people die in Pakistan each year after consuming fake and counterfeit medicines. Criminals who are responsible for selling fake medicines are still out of the reach of the law-enforcement agencies. In such circumstances, patients have no other option but to trust their pharmacist and hope that the medicine they are consuming is genuine and. The ‘Access Program’ by a Swiss-based pharmaceutical company acts like a savior for patients of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Through this programme, patients have access to authentic and FDA-approved medicines at the throwaway price of $1 per month per treatment of NCDs. It is indeed a tragedy that there is no awareness among patients regarding how they can report substandard medicines and also about the initiatives which can save them. The government should highlight such programmes so that more patients can avail the benefit.

Kiran Farooq ( Karachi )