Two of the biggest names in the pharmaceutical world in India – Abbott and Sun Pharma are alleged to be giving inducements to “quack” doctors of gifts and cash to encourage them to prescribe large amounts of antibiotics, propelling the rise of drug-resistant superbugs around the world. Undercover reporting by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ) has revealed that the two companies promote antibiotics to healthcare practitioners who often have no formal medical training. Their products and devices are supplied and used in more than a hundred countries, including the US and by the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. Although illegal to sell antibiotics to quack doctor in most parts of India, the law is seldom enforced. Moreover, there are no restrictions on promoting the drugs to them.

Due to lack of better healthcare facilities in impoverished communities, the quacks often take advantage of the situation and prescribe drugs incorrectly. By offering such incomplete and unnecessary treatments, they play catalyst in creating the superbugs which go on to kill thousands of babies in India alone annually.

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According to the BIJ report, an Abbott salesman suggested that he knew the drugs might be misused, but the monetary benefit lured him into it. Furthermore, a Sun Pharma salesman revealed to an undercover reporter that quacks and real doctors were given expensive gifts so that they stick to the same drug supplier. Ranging from gift cards, medical equipment, refrigerators, televisions to travel and cash, sales representatives would not stop just here. They went on to offer extra pills or cash as an incentive to buy more antibiotics, advancing potentially dangerous over-prescription.

With revenue of more than £3bn, Sun Pharma is the largest drug manufacturer in India. They supply drugs to NHS. NHS has no rule against buying from companies that give inducements to doctors, provided none are listed in the British supply chain. Moreover, NHS also purchases devices from Abbott Laboratories, a US company that pulled in more than £24bn in revenue last year. Abbott India, its Indian subsidiary, happens to be the second pharmaceutical industry in the country.