Medicines and the mafia
THIS is with reference to the news item ‘Vested interests scuttled crucial medical project’ (Oct, 24) whereby a project of local production of interferon was scuttled at an advanced stage, allegedly at the behest of multi-national companies. I am a social worker who is actively engaged in holding free medical camps for screening of hepatitis patients and am very much aware of the woes of hapless patients who cannot afford costly interferon. The current market of hepatitis is worth about two billion rupees, and multinational companies have captured more than 70 per cent of the market. The local availability of interferon at Rs70, as claimed by renowned molecular biologist Dr Riazuddin, would have caused a telling blow to the interest of multinational companies. This story makes me believe that in the Third World countries the multinational companies are reigning in connivance with corrupt bureaucrats under the patronage of dishonest ministries. The ministry offici...