Thiruvananthapuram : A disturbing trend has emerged within the medical community in Thiruvananthapuram as allegations of undue pressure on postgraduate (PG) doctors to prescribe specific pharmaceutical brands have come to light. The situation took a dire turn when a junior doctor was reportedly dismissed from the ward for not adhering to these brand-prescription directives, allegedly leading to a prescription conflict at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
PG students have been exerting influence on doctors to favour certain drug brands while making prescriptions. The incident involving the junior doctor’s expulsion from the ward has raised concerns over potential conflicts of interest within the medical institution.
Sources indicate that some doctors have even been advising patients to purchase medication exclusively from designated medical stores, further deepening suspicions of pharmaceutical affiliations driving these practises. The complaint highlights a distressing pattern where junior doctors allegedly face threats and pressure, ultimately leading them to prescribe medications against their better judgement.
Notably, these accusations are not isolated incidents, as previous cases have surfaced where doctors allegedly received commissions from specific pharmaceutical companies for exclusively recommending their brands to patients. This reported practise has the potential to compromise patient care and erode trust in the medical profession.
In response to these unsettling revelations, the government has taken a step towards addressing the issue by initiating the formation of an audit committee tasked with monitoring doctors’ prescription patterns. This committee’s establishment was intended to curb the influence of pharmaceutical interests and ensure unbiased treatment recommendations for patients.
Despite the government’s intervention, it appears that the prescription practises influenced by pharmaceutical companies have yet to be fully rectified. Despite directives from the health department aimed at safeguarding medical integrity, reports suggest that some doctors persist in aligning with commercial entities.
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