Re: Re Access to control medicine

[Guest guest]

Hi Mangesh,

I am moved by the statement in your post - " The tragic irony is that

India relieves the world's pain with morphine and other opioids but

India's own cancer patients live and die in great anguish " . Aptly

coined expression which conveys the feelings. I offer my shoulders

in support.

Vijay

>

> Hi all,

> According to a recent report of International Narcotics Control

Board (INCB), India produces 35% of the legal annual global opioid

production which is of 400 morphine equivalent tons. But actual

morphine consumption for the whole of India is just 142.32 kilograms

per year though the estimated annual requirement of morphine alone

being about 36, 500 kilograms for cancer patients only. Taking into

account diseases other than cancer, the actual requirement will be

much more than this estimated value. It is also true that India has

the capacity and does produce several times more opioids than this

required amount. Also 100 percent of the methadone manufactured in

our country is exported. Methadone is a cheaper synthetic opioid and

various studies have already proved that it can be used as an

effective alternative to morphine, safe when it is used properly

with proper training and is available in several other countries as

a palliative care pain medicine. Most irksome thing

> is that methadone though included in WHO list of essential

medicines and also approved by the International Association of

Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) as a pain medication, the Drug

controller General of India (DCGI) has not approved it for use

within India due to unfounded [according to studies on methadone in

other countries] fears of abuse and diversion.

> " The tragic irony is that India relieves the worlds' pain with

morphine and other opioids but India's own cancer patients live and

die in great anguish. "

> So the priority should be given to relieve the pain of millions

of cancer and HIV patients in India and not to export of opioids to

the rest of the world (however this can be achieved even without

compromising the export).

>

> Dr. Mangesh Bankar

>

>

>

> ---------------------------------

> Get the freedom to save as many mails as you wish. Click here to

know how.

>