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Export Marketing
is a quarterly journal

medicines.To stop such unethical promotion of drugs,
there was no effective implementation of the Drugs
(Control) Ordinance, 1982 that regulates manufacture,
import, distribution and sale of drugs in Bangladesh.The
Drug Administration, which regulates manufacture, im-
port and quality control of drugs in the country, is also
inactive to put a stop to such unethical practices.
Pharmaceutical companies practice drug promotion to
boost sales and earn more profit, although it is clear-
ly unethical, Prof Dr M Sharfuddin Ahmed, secretary
general of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA), told
the news agency.Sharfuddin, also chairman of the Eye
Department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical
University (BSMMU), said Bangladeshi pharmaceutical
companies produce standard medicines but all com-
panies cannot produce quality products. According to
the industry sources, the pharmaceutical companies
allocate huge sums in their annual budget for gifts to
be distributed among the Practitioners. Feedback from
a number of representatives clearly indicates bribing.
These could be a simple pen or even direct money for
particular product. Also, chamber/room decoration,
common household utilities, ornaments, showpieces,
some doctors focuses on the money without having idea
about product quality they are prescribing. A strict code
of marketing is there but it’s violated often. The bribe
value is higher in urban area than rural. Doctors have
a competition to take transfer or absenteeism in their
mandatories rather giving more time to their private
settings in urban areas. Bangladesh Legal Aid and Ser-
vices Trust (BLAST) working for strengthening the gov-
ernment regulatory bodies like Drug Administration,
stressed full implementation of the Drug Act as well as
effective inspection and monitoring on manufacturing,
marketing and use of drugs.

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