The Association for Consumers' Action on Safety and Health (ACASH),an NGO will be collaborating with the World Health Organization for conducting a detailed study of pricing, availability and quality standards of several drugs consumed by the patients in Maharashtra. The final plan and programme of the study will be decided in three to four weeks.

"Some studies on this subject have been undertaken on a national scale. One by the Ahmedabad-based Consumer Education and Research Society (CERC) and other by Delhi-based Voluntary Organization in the Interest of Consumer Education (VOICE). But this study might be the first big and detailed study for the state of Maharashtra", stated Dr. Arun Bal, president of ACASH.

Talking about the study, Dr Bal said," Firstly the State would be divided into 3-4 different zones and a further 13 districts. This would be followed by taking up a representative drug from each disease category, whose pricing, availability and quality would be studied in detail. At this juncture, it would be important to mention that only drugs that are more commonly prescribed or consumed from each disease-class would be taken up for review," clarified Dr Bal.

Some of the disease classes that would be taken up for review include drugs from the TB class; drugs used for AIDS, cardiovascular, painkillers and other such commonly prescribed drugs. ACASH is undertaking the study only for its records and would submit it to the government for intervention, only if asked for, clarified Dr Bal.