Row over sale of medicine to beat addiction in Tarn Taran

Advertisement

Tarn Taran, June 7

Setting all rules aside, a van went on announcing the easy availability of a tablet purportedly to be used for de-addiction in Patti, a border area town on Wednesday. The announcement had been advertising that at Samarpan Hospital, Patti, a packet of ten tablets with a price of Rs 199 was being given though it is known that ethics impose a ban on such advertisements.

Raj Kawal, manager, Samarpan Hospital, claimed they sell this packet of 10 tablets for Rs 199 when other hospitals sell it for Rs 250 or Rs 280.

Samarpan Hospital, Patti, is a private hospital opened for de-addiction in Patti area. The announcement had been offering to take the advantage of a packet of 10 tablets for Rs 199 only.

KP Singh Gill and Sukhbir Singh, officer-bearers of the Blood Donation Society, Patti, said it was a fact that the tablets used for de-addiction could cause parallel addiction. They blamed the hospital owners for having the sole intention to advertise and sell their ‘Gulabi Goli’. The van even went near the Patti police station and the DSP office but no one dared to stop it.

When contacted, SDPO Vipin Bhandari said the matter had come to the notice of the administration and action would be taken taken against those concerned.

“Though the medication is used for treatment of drug-dependent patients, it can also be misused. Therefore, blatant advertisement is not only unethical but also indicates the intent of profiteering by maximising sales rather than treatment,” said members of the Blood Donation Society, Patti.