Objective: There are hundreds of brands in Indian markets for a single drug which is manufactured by various companies and thus leads to wide variation in prices for the same drug. Hence, we decide to evaluate the variation in price of different brands of the same drug available in Indian market. Methods: An analysis was done for comparing price variations among various drugs prescribed in diabetes mellitus. Indian Drug Review (IDR) (2019 Volume XXV Issue 4) and Current Index of Medical Specialties (CIMS) (July 2019–October 2019) were referred to know the maximum and minimum price in INR of drugs in all available strength and dosage forms being manufactured by different companies in India and percentage price variation was calculated. Results: Wide variation in the price of several brands of oral antidiabetics is found in Indian market. In single drug, highest price variation is found for glimepiride 1 mg tablet (1365.5%). In fixed-dose combinations (FDCs), highest price variation is found for glimepiride + metformin (2 mg + 500 mg) sustain release tablet (689.2%). Lowest price variation for FDCs was found for glimepiride + metformin (3 mg + 500 mg) tablet (4.8%). Furthermore, only few oral antidiabetic agents were included in the drug pricing control order 2013. Wide variation is seen in prices of brand and generic medicines. Conclusion: All the stakeholders should collectively make efforts to reduce price variation among the various brands so as to make them affordable and aim to improve the health status of the community.

Background: Acute poisoning is a common and life-threatening crisis, leading to serious complications and death of patients. Poisoning may be due to self-consumption, accidental exposure of chemical compounds, medications and poisonous animal bites/stings. Aim of current study was to investigate the pattern of drug utilization, poisoning agents and outcome in patients with acute poisoning treated at a tertiary care teaching hospital, Vadodara, Gujarat. Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study was done on patients of acute poisoning admitted in emergency department, SSG Hospital during August 2021-March 2022. Results: 400 patients were enrolled during the study, from which 262 (65.50%) were male and 138 (34.50%) were female. Mean age of patients was 30.30 ± 13.79 years. The commonest mode of poisoning observed was Suicidal (66.25%). The most common cause of poisoning was due to Pesticides (33.25%), followed by venomous animal exposures (30.75%). Death was recorded in 53 (13.25%) patients with highest number seen in suicidal poisoning (14.34%) compared to accidental poisonings (11.19%). Mainly, multivitamins (19.03%), Antimicrobials (16.65%), Proton Pump Inhibitors (15.85%) and Antiemetics (11.10%) were prescribed. Antidotes used were Atropine (4.81%), Pralidoxime (4.46%) and Anti-snake venom (2.80%). Median number of drugs per patient was 8; range: 2-25. Conclusions: Pattern and magnitude of poisoning are multidimensional and demand multi-sectoral approach for facing this problem. Due to high incidence of snakebites, hospital stockpiles should be regularly checked for availability of antivenom. There is a need for stringent pesticide regulation laws, counselling and training programs to reduce incidence of poisonings and deaths due to it.

they differ from adults in pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics responses. ADRs reported in adults do not predict those in children. Thus, this study aimed to intensively monitor ADRs occurred in inpatients of paediatric department of tertiary care teaching hospital to assess the same in terms of incidence, causality, severity and preventability. A prospective observational single centre study was done in the paediatric department of SSG hospital, Vadodara over duration of 8 months. The ADRs were actively monitored and collected reports were analysed for ADR pattern, demographic profile, causality, severity, and preventability. A total of 66 ADRs were documented during the period of 8 months. Among these 53.03% ADRs occurred below the age of 1 year, 89.13% ADRs occurred due to antibiotics, 56.06% ADRs are of Diarrhoea and vomiting and 80.43% ADRs developed after receiving drug intravenously. As per WHO-UMC criteria, 46.96 % ADRs were of probable while 51.51% ADRs were of possible causality while as per Naranjo scale 60.61% ADRs were of probable and 39.39% ADRs were of possible category. As per severity scale 69.70% reactions were mild and 30.30 % reactions were moderate. Probably preventable ADRs were about 57.58%. ADRs occurred more among infants and antibiotics were more commonly implicated. Most of the reactions were of mild severity and were probably preventable. Certain Precautionary measures can lead to significant prevention of ADRs in paediatric patients.

Background: Promotional literature provided by the pharmaceutical companies is one of the important marketing strategies to prescribe. Many of these literatures do not follow ethical guidelines and contain biased and irrelevant information that may cause irrational prescribing. So we did this study with an aim to check the credibility, reliability and authenticity of the PDLs available with prescribers.Methods: Promotional drug literatures were analyzed based on various parameters and guidelines provided by world health organization. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel.Results: A total 395 promotional drug literatures were analyzed and very few of them fulfilled the ethical criteria for drug promotion. Most of them focused on providing information about generic name, brand name manufacture company name and claims about efficacy. Few of them focused on safety of drugs as less information provided about adverse reaction, precaution and drug-drug interaction. Many of them contain space occupying unnecessary pictures.Conclusions: It can be concluded that the majority of the promotional advertisements that were given to the prescribers do not follow ethical guidelines and were not able to improve rational prescribing but only have commercial benefits.