Healthcare In India (2016-17) - Whither Goest Thou?

Healthcare In India (2016-17) - Whither Goest Thou?

The Union Budget 2016-17 will be proposed today by the Finance Minister before the Indian Parliament. As many critical questions are currently being raised about the real health of the Indian economy, across the globe, the Union Finance Minister shoulders an onerous task to address all those apprehensions, beyond any further doubt.

Yesterday, in his monthly radio program ‘Mann Ki Baat’, Prime Minister Modi himself said, “Budget 2016 is my exam, 125 crore people will test me.” A large section of people also would probably view Union Budget 2016-17 in a similar way.

That said, we all know, that the system or the process of annual Union Budget presentation before the Parliament need not be considered as the primary platform to announce various policies of the Government to propel economic growth of the nation. Nevertheless, it certainly underscores the key focus areas, where the Government would prefer deploying country’s financial and other resources, through appropriate budgetary allocations, to effectively meet the key short and long term national goals.

Simultaneously, of course, the Finance Minister would also explain the measures that he proposes for raising the required wherewithal for the same.

The Economic Survey report 2015-16:

The Economic Survey report of the Government for 2015-16, tabled before the Parliament on February 26, 2016, reiterates a grim healthcare situation in India, for a vast majority of its citizens.

The report also underscores, that the average cost of treatment in private hospitals, excluding child birth, is currently about four times than that of public healthcare facilities. This alarming situation, fueled by the meager public health infrastructure in the country, severely limits healthcare access to many in the country. Its primary reason being, a large number of Indians are unable to incur so high out of pocket health expenditure.......

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Against Pharma Marketing Malpractices - A Gutsy Step

Against Pharma Marketing Malpractices - A Gutsy Step

anuary 7, 2016 edition of ‘The Financial Times (FT)’ reported that responding to escalating pressure on the drug industry, related to its ‘Conflict of Interest’ with the doctors and other related professionals, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has decided taking a very unorthodox step.

According to this news report, GSK has decided not to promote its brands by making payments to doctors in any form. The company also strongly expressed its belief that to refurbish the dented image of the industry, in general, its competitors, as well, would start following the same steps, sooner than later.

Whatever it may be, GSK has apparently decided to avoid the above ‘conflict of interest’ and not to ride on the trendy wave for drug promotion, any longer.

Although, many restrictions have already been put in place by different countries, to curb these practices to the extent required, many pharma companies always find effective ways to circumvent those restrictions, as many report highlights.

In this scenario, GSK has taken a bold and calculated decision to swim against the tide. Respecting public outcry and sensitiveness on the subject, it has decided against engaging paid physician speakers, as an integral of the brand marketing strategy, any longer. More importantly, this decision of the company is absolutely voluntary, transparent, and its faithful implementation level can also be monitored externally. 

The consequences of this ‘Conflict of Interest’: 

Available reports indicate that the consequences of alleged marketing malpractices of any kind, attract some serious financial consequences for the pharma players, provided of course, if one gets caught, especially in the United States or Europe.

A February 24, 2014 article highlights that in the last few years alone, pharmaceutical companies have agreed to pay over US$13 billion to resolve only U.S. Department of Justice allegations of ‘fraudulent marketing practices’.

Dwelling on the subject, a November 6, 2014, BBC News commented, “Imagine an industry that generates higher profit margins than any other and is no stranger to multi-billion dollar fines for malpractice.”

It is worth noting, all those pharma players paying hefty fines due to alleged marketing misadventures of humongous proportion, also prominently display their well-crafted code of ethics of pharma marketing practices in their respective websites, vowing for strict voluntary adherence. Nevertheless, the (mal)practice goes on, unabated.

Did a recent deterrent work in America? 

Despite recent enactment of “Physician Payments Sunshine Act”, such practices of pharma companies continue unabated even in the World’s largest pharma market – the United States.

As is known by many, the ‘Physician Payments Sunshine Act’ is a healthcare law enacted in the United States in 2010 to increase transparency of financial relationships between health care providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers..............

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Democratization of Healthcare: An Evolving Trend Driven by Cutting-Edge Technology

Democratization of Healthcare: An Evolving Trend Driven by Cutting-Edge Technology

We have stepped on to a fascinating era of yet another disruptive innovation in a newly carved out space of the healthcare domain.

Such initiatives are driven by path breaking ideas, which are being translated into reality with the application of cutting-edge technology. All these are aimed at providing a plethora of unique healthcare related solutions in the cyberspace to various stakeholders, especially to patients through inexpensive smartphones of various types.

Although the process has just begun, but is moving at a rapid pace. In virtually no time, as it were, it is showing a great potential of delivering more accurate and affordable healthcare solutions to a large number of the population globally, particularly in the developing nations.......

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