May 8, 2003	Thursday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 5, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, May 7: The drug market of Rawalpindi and Islamabad is persistently running short of a number of essential medicines used to cure thyroid disorders, heart diseases, mental disorders, malaria, asthma and blood pressure.

The medicines in short supply are Thyroxin, Ventolin Sufratool bandage, Valium injections, Mercazole, Dilanten capsules, Kemadrin tablets, Pacitine, Nopran syrup, Delta Cartril, Basoquine syrup and Adalat capsules.

These medicines are in short supply despite the fact that a monitoring committee constituted to check the shortage of essential drugs was recently assured that their availability would be ensured soon. The committee had also accepted the shortage of Aldactone, Serenance tablets, Thyroxine, Angised and Kemadrin etc.

A number of drug store owners told this correspondent that either the supply of these medicines was short or erratic. They were of the view that these medicines were comparatively cheaper but effective and thus always in great demand but sometimes their manufacturers create an artificial shortage.

They said many of these medicines were manufactured by the multinational companies. “I am ready to buy 100 packs of these medicines because these are in great demand but despite repeated complaints nobody listens to us,” the owner of a big drug store in Islamabad said.

He was of the view that sometimes distributors create an artificial shortage and blackmail the drug stores to buy their other products in large quantities otherwise the drug in demand would not be supplied. He rejected the plea of the pharmaceutical companies that it was not possible for them to ensure availability of these medicines at all pharmacies in the city.

Some of the missing medicines are being manufactured on regular basis but the manufacturers confine their supply to selected distributors, who often sell them in black, the owners of different pharmacies alleged. They urged the health ministry to assert itself and ensure immediate supply of these medicines.

Different consumer rights watchdogs involved in the health sector have repeatedly raised their concern about the shortage of these essential medicines and reminded that under the Drugs Act 1976 (Licensing, Registration and Advertising), both the health ministry and the drug manufacturers are bound to ensure uninterrupted supply of registered medicines.