Where 'No-Rules' are the 'Rules'

Such a strange nation we are! This pandemic even could not awake our conscience. In such a crucial and vulnerable predicament we sell masks, safety materials, and protective equipment of substandard quality.

Antiseptics are being sold several times higher than real price. We increase the price of the mosquito repellent products during Dengue epidemic! We have even the myth of spreading water instead of mosquito/insect killer agent. Each action has its equal and opposite reaction.

A nation has to pay high price for this corrupted business in relation to medical products. Nature is inevitable; by the law of nature, the corrupted businessmen, middlemen and the beneficiaries of the degraded business will meet the same fate in future inexorably in terms of Public Health Problem created by them only.

The mass media of a country plays a significant role to create awareness on public health issues among oblivious people. But, lately the activities of the various talk shows in mass media are truly questionable and become threat for the public health for Bangladeshi people.

In a pretty good number of television talk shows on healthcare, the doctors are invited; they directly reply and explain the questionnaires on health problems of the patient party and suggest some medications in trade name too.

I have few queries to my learned fellow mates! To my knowledge, in medical science there are few steps of diagnosing the disease to provide treatment to the patient. In this regard the first step is to collect patient history by a pretty long discussion. Then some physical examinations are done. Finally, if needed, some laboratory tests might be required in order to identify the specific disease and to provide right treatment.

There are few medication that might be very harmful for the concerned or specific patients. A doctor needs to know what medicines the patient is taking currently and whether the newly prescribed medication could act effectively along with the previous one.

Now, my question is, ignoring all these important steps of treatment, is it really ethical and scientific to prescribe medicine in a talk show in front of a camera and on telephone after exchanging 2 to 3 sentences? Where is your professional responsibility?

The Antibiotic Resistance has been emerged as a huge threat for human civilization. Before prescribing the antibiotic, the culture sensitivity should be tested. Despite giving importance to this procedure, the doctors are prescribing the antibiotics in TV shows. Are not the doctors contributing to antibiotic resistance by this practice? Who will take this responsibility?

Most people are unaware of circumstances and whimsical in our country. You, as a doctor, just listen to two to three problems or symptoms and prescribe through public broadcasting media. Unfortunately millions of people are listening to this prescription advised by you. Some of them, being self-motivated, compare the symptoms with their own physical problems and make a match. They buy the medicine from pharmacy and start taking them. Have you thought about this predicament?

Now some people may say, during such a pandemic situation what care we are getting through this health shows, is enough and great. Regretfully, even after 50 years of independence during the crisis we try to survive by grasping at straws.  As a result, we get drowned along with the grasped straw. We have many examples of these circumstances by last three to four months.

Few fervent and emotional doctors are eager to receive ridiculous and cheap applauses; they receive inducement and entertainments from the drug manufacturing companies. Do they know that these are punishable, detestable crime? According to the section 14, 21 & 22 of Bangladesh Drug Ordinance, 1982 and no. b) & c) under section 4.9 of National Drug Policy, 2016 the above activities are punishable crime.

Now let us look into the roles of the mass media and their regulatory bodies. The doctors may not know the rules and regulations that much. The media regulatory bodies must know that the advertisement of any drugs in trade name is restricted by the law of National Drug Policy.

I am addressing the media 'Are not you committing crime and insulting the existing drug law of the country by advertising a particular drug in their trade name for treatment of your viewer with the supports of the fervent doctors? At the same time, are you not protecting the interest of drug manufacturing companies and making your business profit illegally? The Drugs (Control) Ordinance 1982 and National Drug Policy 2016 have been uploaded in the website of Drug Administration Bangladesh.

When the laws are published publicly, can they deny the responsibilities of its overall implementation and monitoring? In addition, we may say that the Ministry of Health has been failed to stop these harmful talk-shows in order to secure public health and welfare of Bangladeshi people.

Many of the TV programs have been uploaded in YouTube, where the trade names of the specific drugs of a particular company are mentioned. If anyone is interested, we may provide the links through emails. This is truly amazing that majority of our health workforces in Bangladesh are managing the health system with limited resources and manpower.

We should be aware and not be confused about the significant role of these workforces which has been polluted only for the activities led by few irrationals, opportunists and corrupted doctors.In conclusion, we expect impartial as well as strong role of the related regulating bodies to monitor the corruption and punishing the criminals with a view to securing safety for public health in Bangladesh.


The writer is a physician, researcher, health activist and Chairperson, Live Healthy Foundation .