Dears, I have excerpted some points from the discussion thus far. My comments follow at the foot
[A] Shiv Kumar wrote: 1: Last week, I was in Goa for my business. I met a few of people from the audit departments of a few pharma companies whose plants are in Goa. 2: After building a good rapport, one auditor confided with me that their people routinely fake test data for audit 3: Another audit guy who works for an MNC pharma said that their plant makes formulations for their global operations. in that, they give ingredients exactly as specified. However, they sell the same API (raw material) to Indian companies for Indian distribution.....there, they give lower quality ingredients, though they specify higher grade. 4: Finally, another trend in Goa medical practice: Some generic pharma companies approach big specialist doctors. They offer to make customised formulation with the doctor's branding. 5: I took photos of some tablet strips. They were definitely not tested for anything. 6: I know a lot about pharma industry, being involved with it for 21 years. [B] Savio Figueiredo wrote(via Cecil Pinto): 7: This is a case of a complete work of fiction created from a little fact 8: That Doctors are hand in gloves in the industry is a universal fact and DIRECT MONEY TRANSFER is involved forget about gifts, parties and foreign trips [C] Cecil Pinto wrote : 9: I read the report by Shiv Kumar and found it did not quite ring true. [D] Roland Francis wrote: 10: I do not agree with your pharmacist friend Savio Figueiredo that Shiv Kumar's (the journalist) account is one of fiction. ----------COMMENT----------: a: I have NO way of knowing what is factual and what is not in the Shiv Kumar post on Goanet. b: To the best of my knowledge, Shiv is an honorable man. He is not the type who is given to flamboyant speculation. c: In #s 1-3, he relates information that was allegedly told to him. That info could be true, semi-true or false. d: I am led to believe that Shiv was given that info. Need to see more before I believe the info. e: # 4 points to possible ethical violations (criminal if untested and unapproved tablets are being dispensed). f: re: #5, IF the strip of tablets carries the name of the specialist doctor, it might be of legal value - especially if the 'medication' was prescribed by the doctor. If not, the value is nebulous. g: Not very sure if I am the only person confused by #s 7 and 8 from Savio. h: Not very sure if ALL or part of Shiv's report rang untrue to Cecil. (#9) i: Until Shiv produces definite proof wrt the Specialist Doctors, it is very difficult to agree or disagree with Roland Francis (#10) PS: I return to my belief that Shiv Kumar is an honorable man. The story, as related by him, may contain some facts and some fiction. Until verifiable proof wrt the 'Specialist doctors' is provided, that charge remains speculative and even defamatory of Goan doctors. It is possible that Shiv's idea was to alert Goans (via their journos) of the unethical and even dangerous practices which may be prevalent in Goa 2014. May be, those unethical chaps (docs) will stop. May be they will merely lay low for some time and then return to 'business as usual'. May be ! jc
