THE EDITORIAL

Address,He who has health has hope and he who has hope haseverything. The primary concern in this hectic life today ishealth and more people are becoming health conscious.With increasing level of awareness in this regard themasses do not have much time to visit a physician. Thisleads to more and more people catering in to the OTCdrugs which contribute a lot to the pharmaceutical sector.There are more than 100,000 drugs that fall in this category.Owing to this we have decided to dedicate the August issueof our monthly newsletter to Over the Counter medicines.An extensive study has been carried out by the students toanalyze the reasons for side effects of pain killers andsuggesting ways to combat the same.We also bring to you an exclusive interview with Mr.Madhukar Kurtkoti an eminent person from thePharmaceutical industry with over 35 years of experiencethrowing light related to marketing of OTC.An article related to Packaging with respect to these drugsis also included.In the BT news section we take upon the various aspects of the Mashelkar’s report with respect to ever greening of patents.We also present before you one of the 12 part series of notable CSR initiatives. The article titled ‘Back to Society’this time covers the SPARSH initiative by Torrent Group.Along with this section on PUMBA and its latest happeningshas been included.Your feedback and Suggestions are welcome atthepumbagazette@gmail.com

“Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man,and writing an exact man”

- Francis Bacon

Sincerely Yours,

Chief Editor:

Queeny Bubna, MBA-BT (Sem III)(The PUMBA Gazette Team)(The detailed project report shall be provided onenquiry. Kindly send in your enquiries atthepumbagazette@gmail.com)

CONTENTS

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Cover Story 3

--“Cide” ing Side Effects

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Articles/Analysis 4

Pack in your senses

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Back to Society 5

--“

SPARSH” Initiative by Torrent Group

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BT News 6

Going Green—The Patent Way

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Candid Talk 7

An Interview with Mr. Madhukar Kurtkoti

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PUMBA News 8

Dr. (Prof.) Sangvikar’s Selection for University ExchangeProgram-- Dr.(Capt) C.M. Chitale appointment to “YASHADA”--Dr. S.V. Kapre’s Lecture

“Cide”ing side effects…

The over- the-counter and prescription painkillers also known asthe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or NSAIDs are one of the most widespread used drugs. The number of over-the-counter (OTC) medications is increasing as more prescription medicationsare being designated the OTC status and there are over 100,000such drugs. Despite their extensive use it is observed that it isoften used inappropriately and an alarming number of people areignorant of the potential side effects that result thereafter. So asurvey was carried out by the students of PUMBA to gauge theawareness of side effects of painkillers among the consumers. For this around 400 consumers as well as 100 chemists weresurveyed in Pune.The key findings of the survey were astonishing as majority of middle age people use these drugs irrespective of its side effectsand many of them consider it an easy way out to deal with painand avoid visiting a physician. Patients may also inadvertently takemultiple OTC drugs containing the same active ingredient, whichcould lead to an overdoseor increasedside-effects.In other cases, patients may take more than the recommended dose of adrug, as they do not read or understand the directions or theysometimes choose to ignore them, believing that a higher doseshould be more effective. The anomaly lies in the fact that it is theeducated and working class group of middle age taking thesesteps. A majority of them are unacquainted with the names andside effects of these drugs when not taken in a right fashion. Theytend to overlook the fact that the same drugs when used in thecorrect manner would be much more beneficial.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

The average usage of painkillers age-wise was found to be asrepresented in the chart below. Maximum consumption was foundto be amid the age group of 25 to 40 years. As revealed by thesurvey this category resorts to self medication nearly 12 times in amonth. The most widely used painkillers were established asparacetamol, nimusulide, diclofenac and ibuprofen.Around 50% of the consumers surveyed did not consult any doctor before using a painkiller. According to the chemists surveyed, 43%of the consumers asked for painkillers without any prescription.Also approximately 63% did not enquire about the side effects of the medicine in question.When enquired about the understanding of side-effects due topainkillers, 36% were not aware of any while 46% of thoseinterviewed had heard of them but were not fully informed. Hardlyany consumers were disinclined to use painkillers due to their side-effects.

SUGGESTIONS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Long term use of NSAIDs in high doses may cause an increasedrisk of gastrointestinal complications ranging from stomach pain toulcers, hemorrhage etc. Thus an awareness regarding this has tobe created amongst the population as well as the physicians toencourage the correct dosage and usage of the painkillers. For this the followings steps can be taken:1. Problems resulting from such inapt usage of OTCs should beconstantly highlighted in CMEs, journals, etc, so that thephysicians convey the same to those who do consult them beforeusing a NSAID. This population was found to be 23% of thesample covered.2. Since most of the NSAIDs are OTC drugs, it should be notedthat most chemists are ignorant about this and hence an attemptshould be made to educate the chemists regarding the adverseeffects of the same.3. Education programs as well as workshops should be carried outfor the patients using painkillers to make them aware of the risksassociated with it.4. In USA a campaign was carried out in 2003 known asR.E.D.U.C.E (Risk Education to Decrease Ulcer Complicationsand Their Effects from NSAIDs) by AGA (AmericanGastroenterological Association), funded by Pfizer. Similar campaign should also be initiated in India in cooperation with themajor Pharmaceutical companies.5. Boards and Hoardings, highlighting serious complicationsarising from unrestrained usage of NSAIDs, sponsored bypharmaceutical organizations should be displayed in hospitals,government dispensaries, and clinics of private practitioners.6. Companies can also publish literature to inform laymen of theright way to take these drugs in order to increase efficacy. As mostOTCs are mouth to mouth marketed, an initiative like this wouldincrease trust and loyalty in consumers and thereby increasemarket potential.Compiled by: Dipali Bobade, Nidhi Nirmal Rutuja Patil, SmitaRathod, Soumya Gupta & Sourabh Dhopade (MBA-BT, Sem III )Mentor : Pratiksha Singhal (alumnus MBA BT-2009 currentlyworking in WNS Global Services as Junior Analyst)