BHUBANESWAR: Kidney transplant patients have protested the recommendations made by the Health and Family Welfare department on provisions for branded organ transplant drugs. A group of patients gheraoed Health and Family Welfare Minister Naba Kishore Das’s residence here on Sunday demanding good quality drugs for transplant patients.
The department in a recent communication to Director of Medical Education and Training, Managing Director of Odisha State Medical Corporation Ltd (OSMCL), Drugs Controller and Superintendent of SCB MCH has asked to provide branded drugs to transplant patients, who are not tolerating the generic medicines.
It has been advised that the kidney transplant patients suffering from any reaction due to consumption of generic drugs would have to present themselves so that adverse drug reaction would be established by the appropriate forum (Pharmacovigilance) in SCB MCH, Cuttack.
Although the recommendation came following the suggestions of a panel constituted in the wake of allegations of shortage of organ transplant drugs, the kidney transplant patients have questioned the panel citing the absence of a nephrologist in the committee.
“Several patients are suffering and some have died due to dose mismatch. They had earlier advised us to take 500 mg drugs instead of 360 mg. Why should we be put under trial always? Who will take the risk of adverse drug reaction?” asked a patient’s wife Jayashree Behera.
The department has, however, advised the patients to purchase branded drugs for 30 days within their 20 per cent local purchase limit from nearest medicine store if at present SCB MCH is unable to supply those drugs from its Niramaya quota from empanelled shops. The OSMCL has been asked to restructure its tender process for supply of branded medicines to address similar situations in future in other cases.
The patients alleged the drugs supplied by OSMCL are of substandard quality and the officials were trying to dispose off the generic drugs. Despite the government’s advice to procure branded drugs from empanelled shops, the SCB MCH continues to deny the patients on the plea of stock unavailability. The government should streamline the drug procurement process with a focus on quality of drugs, the patients demanded.