AGL 36.51 Decreased By ▼ -1.49 (-3.92%)
AIRLINK 216.01 Increased By ▲ 2.10 (0.98%)
BOP 9.46 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (0.42%)
CNERGY 6.59 Increased By ▲ 0.30 (4.77%)
DCL 8.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.27 (-3.08%)
DFML 40.90 Decreased By ▼ -1.31 (-3.1%)
DGKC 99.48 Increased By ▲ 5.36 (5.69%)
FCCL 36.48 Increased By ▲ 1.29 (3.67%)
FFBL 88.94 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
FFL 17.17 Increased By ▲ 0.78 (4.76%)
HUBC 126.25 Decreased By ▼ -0.65 (-0.51%)
HUMNL 13.35 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.15%)
KEL 5.24 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-1.32%)
KOSM 6.71 Decreased By ▼ -0.23 (-3.31%)
MLCF 44.24 Increased By ▲ 1.26 (2.93%)
NBP 60.50 Increased By ▲ 1.65 (2.8%)
OGDC 222.49 Increased By ▲ 3.07 (1.4%)
PAEL 40.60 Increased By ▲ 1.44 (3.68%)
PIBTL 8.16 Decreased By ▼ -0.02 (-0.24%)
PPL 191.99 Increased By ▲ 0.33 (0.17%)
PRL 38.60 Increased By ▲ 0.68 (1.79%)
PTC 27.00 Increased By ▲ 0.66 (2.51%)
SEARL 103.50 Decreased By ▼ -0.50 (-0.48%)
TELE 8.62 Increased By ▲ 0.23 (2.74%)
TOMCL 34.86 Increased By ▲ 0.11 (0.32%)
TPLP 13.60 Increased By ▲ 0.72 (5.59%)
TREET 24.99 Decreased By ▼ -0.35 (-1.38%)
TRG 71.99 Increased By ▲ 1.54 (2.19%)
UNITY 33.33 Decreased By ▼ -0.06 (-0.18%)
WTL 1.72 No Change ▼ 0.00 (0%)
BR100 11,987 Increased By 93.1 (0.78%)
BR30 37,178 Increased By 323.2 (0.88%)
KSE100 111,351 Increased By 927.9 (0.84%)
KSE30 35,039 Increased By 261 (0.75%)

On my last visit, my doctor prescribed 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 a daylight robbery and there is no justification for such a huge price difference.
At the same, the markets are flooded with substandard, adulterated, spurious and counterfeit foods, beverages and medicines and consumers continue to be poisoned and cheated by glossy foods and beverages.
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.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2009

Comments

Comments are closed.