End of monopoly & restrictive trade practices at Private Hospitals

1. Generic medicines/ Branded Generics are not necessarily cheaper than Branded medicines!

Generics/ Brand Generics pass on close to 800% margin to the retailer, while the price may be just cheaper by 40% (click here for info) or check table:

In some corporate hospitals price of the Brand Generic can be higher than Branded medicines as brand generic suppliers can stamp the MRP dictated by the administrators! 

Example: Injection Meropenem: Meromac -branded MRP is Rs 871, Merofit- Brand Generic: Rs 2494. The hospital supply rate for both are around Rs 750. 

2. No pharmacist can substitute a Brand Generic medicine, without doctors prescription/ permission. (Reference: Rule 65 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules 1945, amended till 1995)

3. Debate required on : whether a hospital can insist on medicines to bought in its own pharmacy, where choices are limited, and drugs from non FDA listed drug companies.

4. Remember: you have placed your trust with your DOCTOR. He knows what is the best for you. It is well within your right, to expect "no substitution" and choice of medicines at a pharmacy. Restrictive trade practices have been banned in India! (through MRTP Act, 1969)

While even your cooking salt is branded, why settle for an unbranded life saving medicine?

Self Restraint by the Media: a welcome development

Finally...much awaited self restraint by the media houses comes into force...how the news channels and media houses respond to it, adhere to the guidelines? Wait & Watch!

For Aishwarya Rai's baby, 

TV channels will 'behave'

An astonishing (as per TOI report) 

guideline agreed upon by all news channels 

could forever change the way 

Indian television treats its celebrities

The self imposed guidelines are:

» No pre-coverage of the event.
» Story of the birth of the baby to run only after, and on the basis of, official announcement.
» Story not to run on breaking news band.
» No camera or OB vans at hospital or any other location (like the Bachchans' homes Pratiksha or Jalsa) related to the story. 
» Channels will only go for photo-op or press conference if invited.
» Channels will not carry any MMS or photo of the child. We can carry if issued by the family
» No astrology show to be done on this issue.
» No 11.11.11 astro shows to be done.
» The duration of story to be around a minute/ninety seconds.
» Obviously, unauthorized entry into hospital not permitted. 

Indeed it is a welcome change from "paparazzi" culture of present day media, where privacy of individuals and patients rights are violated routinely!

As a pioneer in advocating patients rights to privacy, this blog appreciates the gesture by the media houses. Hope this heralds the new era of "responsible" media of the future...

Air crash: a question for media

Courtesy of Uday Rodrigues/ Mediamirchi


MANGALORE is still in the shock of Air India Air crash in Mangalore. It is the most horrific incident happened in Mangalore as well as the biggest tragedy in Indian aviation history. The entire world stood and expressed their sympathy & condolences on all of the families who lost their beloved ones and prayed for the departed soul. The incident is still alive as the reason for this tragedy yet known & the investigation is in progress. The devastating air crash in Mangalore has raised many issues on AI, runway & the airport. I would like to raise the issue of publishing photographs of dead bodies in the print and virtual front pages of most major news papers & the online websites.

I think the media has got something very important to consider when deciding what photographs to publish. Publishing the photographs that are so grotesque that it's almost disrespectful to the person viewing the photograph may disturb the week hearted people. Image of carrying the body of an injured/dead baby seriously devastating, especially to someone who is young, woman or weak. Yet, I would assume that the photographer’s purpose in taking the picture is to show how completely devastating this event was but its is seriously awful to view. One of my friend who is working for the medical field, she expressed her views like this “We all are so close to this incident and the photographs still come to my mind, though I am a medical professional, I would definitely can’t see such painful scenes…huhhh!!’ One of my other friend said that he can’t see the local news papers in Mangalore, it gives pain. I am personally, not visiting the online news websites which I usually visit since i saw some photographs. Some people even went ahead & uploaded photographs of dead bodies in Facebook which they shot on the spot of the incident.


Now here are some possible questions to consider.

1. What purpose would you have in showing such images?

2. What consequences do you foresee from depicting such images?

3. What will it want and/or need to see to understand such death?

4. What impact will images of death have on the viewers?

5. Will such pictures help the viewers understand the truth(s) of this tragedy?

6. Will the images help to make the people more knowledgeable about this horrific incident?

7. Just imagine, if any of your loving person was in that flight, would you like to show his/her body into pieces?

I remember the tragic death of AP Chief Minister YSR; the photographs were available but never published in any TV channels. Respecting the dead is very much appreciated in the western media and the western world . For all the years that American and British soldiers have died in what many now accept was an illegitimate war in Iraq, I have never seen a picture of blown up bodies or pieces of those soldiers in the western media as an attempt to show the world how gruesome the war has been.

Local media in Mangalore has always done a great job. It may the church attack, pub attack and now the worst tragedy of air crash. But I do strongly feel, publishing the photographs of dead bodies was not a good idea or its like lack of respect for dead people and their families. News organizations should decide about showing images of death will help or hinder the public understanding of this tragedy or it will make them to feel more horrific. I do feel they should avoid publishing, or refuse to show, such images.

These are my views. You agree with me or do not agree, please don’t forget to leave your honest comments here. We can bring it to the attention of our local media and there can be a change. I thank some of my friends who supported me to write this short article. God bless Mangalore.

Ban entry of Media/ Politicians into hospitals during mass casualty management!

Fire at Bangalore's Carlton Towers: Bangalore, Feb 23: A massive fire has hit the third floor of the Carlton Towers in Bangalore, killing three and trapping many office goers around the peak office hours this evening. At least five people may have died in the Carlton Towers since they jumped out from the fifth and sixth floors of their office building in Bangalore on Tuesday. Survivors were treated at Manipal Hospital

Mediamen barge into the hospital: minutes after the first patient was wheeled into the Manipal Hospital, harassment by mediamen started...they barged into no entry/ no photography zones of the hospital, started photographing/ videographing hapless victims, who were still under shock...They even tresspassed into sterile areas like Emergency ward/ ICU and even wards!  

When some relatives/ patients requested them not to take photo, they did not bother...all that mattered for the mediamen was a crying face/ breaking news!

Useless Exercise by VIP`s:  like visiting the victims  in the hospital (in what way it helps?), which will not only hamper the medical management but also burdens the doctors & hospital staff (who should be treating the patients!). It also burdens the local administration and the police – who otherwise should be involved in relief measures/ investigations

What is the use of parading in the Hospitals, with mediamen? Will this "show" help in any way to any individual? The police personnel, who otherwise have other serious issues to tackle, will end up "escorting" these politicians! Rather than these publicity stunts, VIP`s should be busy in tactical planning! They should also order investigations by town planners/ fire personnel, to prevent future calamities...

NABH guidelines to Hospitals: NABH certified hospitals should have a disaster/ mass casualty protocol. According to the protocol, media management, information to relatives through media is essential. However mass casualty situation does not give any rights to mediamen, to barge into private/ secure/ sterile areas of the hospital. In fact this kind of unrestricted entry into hospital by those posing as mediamen can cause a serious security issue, apart from causing breach of infection control policy of the hospital.

Journalist sues hospital for taking photos !

In an interesting news from Malaysia, a journalist has sued the hospital for photographing her, while undergoing some procedure.

And in India, her colleagues are happy clicking photos of innocent patients in Hospitals, day in and day out...

News from The Star/ Malaysian Bar association

Patients rights violation by State Human Rights Commission

Human Rights Organizations unaware of Patients charter of Rights?
What is the need for Publicizing a health check camp? Why reveal patient identity?