On my last visit, my doctor prescribed to me a recently introduced drug, with the option to buy a local or a branded, imported drug, which was naturally more expensive. However, when I went to purchase the medicine, I was shocked to learn the difference in price between the two. The local drug had a MRP of Rs 86 for 14 tablets printed on the box, whereas the MRP of the imported medicine was Rs 1400 for the same number of tablets. Thinking that there must be a mistake, I rang up my doctor again the next day, but he confirmed that both medicines were just as good to treat my case.
Unless I am wrong, the difference between the two medicines is almost 1527%. Now to me, this is day light robbery and there is no justification for such a huge price difference.
At the same time drugs are banned, the markets are flooded with substandard, adulterated, spurious and counterfeit foods, beverages and medicines and consumer continue to be poisoned and cheated by glossy foods and beverages.
On 13th January 05, the Punjab Assembly passed the Punjab Consumer Protection Bill 2004, which would help in protecting consumers from defective and substandard products, faulty services, misleading representations and other consumer related problems through the Consumer Courts.
It is unfortunate that the Consumer Protection Ordinance, Sindh, which took two years to prepare, was approved and signed by the Sindh Governor on 12th August 04, but was allowed to lapse and we are still without a C.P. Law.
In the absence of an effective law and the enforcement of existing laws, consumers in Sindh are being cheated at every stage. Unless there is a political will to correct this deteriorating situation, marketers will continue to make unjustified profits and consumers will continue to be deceived and cheated.
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