By Obiora Ifeanyi Elias
This research is a study of the problems of marketing ethical drugs in Nigeria. The Ultimate Objectives are to determine the extent of the problems militating against marketing ethical drugs, to determine the best solution on how to redress the problem associated with the marketing ethical drugs; to find solutions to the improper drug usage and marketing.
Data were gathered both Secondary and Primary sources, manifested in the literature review, the use of questionnaires and interview schedules respectively. Simple percentage tables, pie charts and bar charts were used for analysis. The hypothesis were subsequently tested by the use of chi-square statistical technique.
Based on the data analysis, the following are the major findings of the research:-
There are companies in Asia and Europe that are Mass-producing highly diluted drugs and are marketing them in Nigeria.
87.5% of patients and doctors are ignorant and lazy to examine drug packages for expiry dates, spelling errors and other lapses before purchasing them.
There is a 70% wide spread use of herbal medicines and synthetic drugs which can have serious clinical consequences.
In view of the findings of this work; the following recommendations among others are proffered:-
Patent dealers should not be allowed to stock foods and cosmetics product.
Pharmaceutical inspectors should wake up, to better implement the drug regulatory laws.
Pharmaceutical Inspectors should be well remunerated so that they would not be distracted from their regulatory roles.
Federal Government should restructure the Task-Force to report directly to PCN.
MDN Decree of 1990 should be amended or reviewed to incorporate adequate funding for Task-Force operations.
NAFDAC’s Central Laboratories in Abuja, Lagos and Port-Harcourt should be equipped and secured for medicine analysis.