Daily Times

Sir: This is with reference to the woes patients go through while searching for medicines prescribed by their doctors. It is very unfortunate that some doctors prescribe their favourite brands, which are not freely available in the pharmacies. It is done just to oblige those pharmaceutical companies that grease the palms of the doctors. In the end, it is only the patient who suffers. The situation is further aggravated when the pharmacists are not available at pharmacies to guide people what to do if a specific brand is not available easily. My suggestion is that all doctors in clinics and especially in public sector hospitals prescribe drugs in generics or at least write a generic name along with the brand name so that pharmacy staff could assist patients properly. This is especially important for cardiac and psychiatric patients who have to use medicines for a longer duration. These patients usually come from far-flung areas to government hospitals just to get specific brands of medicines.

FAROOQ BASHIR BUTT

Lahore