Mangalore: Drug Companies Hijacking Research - Prof Tharyan

Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (PS)

Mangalore, Dec 2: "Drug companies with the sole intention of making profits have hijacked research and have been dictating terms to medical professionals on what research to be carried out, which is a dangerous trend," said Prof Prathap Tharyan, director, South Asian Cochrane Network & Centre, CMC, Vellore.

He was speaking as a the resource person at a two-day workshop on 'Evidence-Based Medicine' inaugurated at Decennial Hall of Father Muller Medical College here on Friday December 2. The workshop has been jointly organized by Medical Education Unit of Father Muller Medical College and The South Asian Cochrane Centre.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the programme, Prof Tharyan said that decision-making on healthcare throughout the world should be informed by high quality and timely research evidence.

The Cochrane Collaboration, established in 1993, is an international network of more than 28,000 dedicated people from over 100 countries. It works to help healthcare providers, policy makers, patients, their advocates and carers, make well informed decisions about healthcare, based on the best available research evidence, by preparing, updating and promoting the accessibility of Cochrane Reviews – over 6500 so far, published online in the The Cochrane Library.

Unless the fear (‘shopping list’ as termed by Prof Tharyan) with which the patient has approached the doctors is not diagnosed by the doctor, the patient would not feel at ease, said. "A good doctor should also know where to find medicine based on evidence conducted on different age group people rather than confining to an individual case," he added.

Earlier, inaugurating the workshop, Dr Prabha Adhikari, professor of medicine, KMC, Mangalore said that practice of evidence-based medical treatment is the best that a doctor can do for his or her patient. Conducting research, writing reports in order to create evidence based on the research on patient but not publishing it is a crime, she said. "Patients believe the doctors and give their data," she said.

A healthcare professional’s duty is not just to treat a patient, but also to give information to the rest of the world to improve practice based on evidences, she said and added, "Recording case sheet, report forming and publishing the same has become compulsory in medical colleges, but research is individual interest."

Fr Patrick Rodrigues, director, FMCI presiding over the programme said that being associated with The Cochrane Collaboration is a matter of pride as it is concerned with giving doctors credible information and enabling them to take decisions.

As many as 100 delegates from neighbouring colleges are taking part in this workshop.

Fr Denis D’Sa, administrator, FMMC welcomed. Dr Jayaprakash Alva, dean, FMMC delivered vote of thanks. Dr Smitha Bhat, convenor, MEU and Dr Amita Ray, organizing secretary were present.