Pharmaceuticals, physicians and public policy : unravelling the relationships

Abstract

The relationship among pharma industry, physicians and public policy in not only complex, but often irrational unethical and ‘unscientific’. This article introduces a collection of papers deriving from a research project ‘Tracing Pharmaceuticals in South Asia’ . The research focused on tracing three drugs — oxytocin, rifampicin and fluoxetine— from production to prescription. These drugs belong to three different therapeutic domains – maternal health, tuberculosis and mental health – and their usage regimens are vastly different. Their relevance in public health policy too is different. This variety has allowed the research team to uncover the complex web of production, distribution and, regulation from different perspectives.

Citation

Das, A.; Jeffery, R. Pharmaceuticals, physicians and public policy : unravelling the relationships. Journal of health studies (2009) 2: 6-12.

Pharmaceuticals, physicians and public policy : unravelling the relationships

Published 1 January 2009