Closes PIL seeking action against doctors accepting freebies
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir High Court on Thursday asked government to take to its logical conclusion charge sheet issued against five doctors for allegedly receiving gifts and freebies for prescribing medicine to patients.
“The charge sheet issued against the main five doctors should be taken to its logical end and be concluded expeditiously within a period of six months maximum,” a division bench of the high court comprising chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Hasnain Massodi according to GNS said while closing a Public Interest Litigation.
The direction was issued by the court after going through a status report filed by the Health Department.
In response to the order passed on last date of hearing, the department filed status report which highlights that charge sheet has been issued against five doctors.
All the doctors were named in the PIL filed by Naseer Ahmad Shah and others following reports in section of press, highlighting nexus between the doctors and pharma companies offering and taking “cash, freebies, kickback or gifts for prescribing medicines of Macro Lab Ltd.”
“Poor patients are being compelled to purchase unnecessary medicines and that too having no efficiency,” the petitioners had said, adding, “The transactions are simply, at the cost of patient care, and resultant in surfacing of the spurious drugs or substandard drugs in the market.”
The doctors, who are in the race for amassing wealth by indulging in such malpractices, are causing damage to the health of public at large, the petitioner had said.
The petitioners had also demanded initiation of action against the doctors who are involved in the commission and omission of offenses besides cancellation of their licenses.
The petitioners had also demand ascertaining assets and constitution of taskforce to look into such type of offences.
Besides they also sought black listing of the companies who are offering cash, freebies or Kickbacks and also action against the representatives who are promoting.
The petitioners had also sought imparting of moral education to medical students during their training in medical training.