An overview-Consumer Rights Day celebrations by CAA

As indicated elsewhere in this page, the world Consumer Rights Day this year was observed by the Consumer Affairs Authority on a different note. One is that the Consumer Affairs Authority organised a flag campaign. The presentation of the first flag was to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees on March 15.

The President, at the presentation ceremony said that “the government was taking every step to provide relief to consumers and was fully aware about the hardships faced by them.” He further observed that “Today is the day of the Consumer, but sadly for the last 30 years there has been no proper mechanism to address their grievances.

In the future, we would give the consumer the due place by providing them with the necessary relief and a strong consumer network.” Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena while referring to stabilising the prices of 10 consumer items, specially during the festive season, said that “these measures were possible after 30 years due to the President’s intervention.”

The second event was the seminar at the SLFI Auditorium. The theme of this year’s World Consumer Rights Day was “unethical promotion of drugs.” Under this main theme, the speakers selected their new subjects. Dr. (Mrs.) Ajantha Perera spoke on the ‘effective public education on unethical Promotion of drugs.”

While Dr. S. S. P. Godakandage spoke on “Unethical promotion of infant milk foods.” Dr. Jayasundara Bandara spoke on the role of Health Ministry in considering the unethical promotion of pharmaceutical drugs in Sri Lanka and Dr. K. Balasubramaniam also addressed the seminar.

The final talk was by Dr. Wickrema Weerasuriya. He touched on the functions, responsibilities and powers by the CAA/Consumer Affairs Council, creating greater awareness of the legislation etc. among consumers and assisting NGO Consumer institutions to enforce the legislation and to be “whistle blowers” and also on educating/encouraging others to enforce the current legislation for consumer protection.

Effective public education on unethical promotion of drugs

Dr (Mrs) Ajantha Perera

“Today in Sri Lanka consumers are largely unaware of how their drug consumption choices are being shaped by corporate motives for gigantic profits.

Worldwide drug companies are accused today of endangering public health through wide scale marketing malpractices, ranging from covertly attempting to persuade consumers that they are ill, to bribing doctors and misrepresenting the results of safety and efficacy tests on their products.

Disease awareness campaigns are used for drug awareness rather than health promotion. In a report that charts the scale of illicit practices by drug companies in the UK and across Europe, Consumers International - the world federation of consumer organisations - says people are not being given facts about the medicines they take because the companies hide the marketing tactics on which they spend billions.”

“While Prescribers play an essential role in the choice of medicines, the role of the consumer (the patient) is equally important. Public knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions regarding the use of medicines influence the decision to seek health care, from whom and whether the proposed treatment is followed.

In some countries, more than 50 percent of medicines consumed (including prescription drugs) are bought over the counter, often from unauthorised sources, and often in response to aggressive commercial marketing.”

Until recently, national health education focusing on the proper use of medicines was rare in both developed and developing countries. A few consumer organisations have conducted campaigns, usually against unethical marketing of individual drugs.

However, escalating cost of medicines, the wasted resources resulting from their misuse, the increasing amounts of self-medication, and the influence of advertising has led to a new focus on an informed consumer, particularly in countries with a diminishing budget for public sector drug supply.

This reality led to the development of national public education strategies. Another factor has been the growing awareness that a patient/prescriber encounter is an interactive process in which each can influence the other. Some prescribers excuse bad prescribing practice by claiming that patients insist on receiving a certain drug (e.g. an antibiotic) or mode of delivery (e.g. an injection) and will go elsewhere if they do not get it.

Increasingly, consumer organisations are at the forefront of education activities and campaigns. Members of the consumer network Health Action International, which includes over 100 public interest nongovernmental organisations throughout the world, have recently held campaigns targeting the removal of dangerous drugs from the market, unethical promotional practices, the need for national drug policies, and effective regulation.”

“Changing people’s behaviour or habits is not an easy task and generally requires a long-term strategy based on the behavioral principles. There are some ways or channels in the community which can convey education and share information: for instance, through women’s organisations, social gatherings, religious leaders/groups, at the outpatient unit or health care facility, and performances of drama or song. Public education cannot compensate for poor products or inadequate health services or staff.

However, it can provide the consumer with a better understanding of the benefits and the potential dangers of drug use, and safe sources of drug information and supply. An informed and empowered consumer is able to act in his or her own and in the community’s best interests.

All consumer groups of Sri Lanka, must during the year 2007/2008 give priority to public awareness work on the ways of unethical promotion of drugs, with the vision to strengthen the Consumer, thereby build a healthier Nation.”

New culture on consumerism

The effort made by Minister of Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Services Bandula Gunawardena on his innovative mechanism by invoking Section 14 of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003 has been put to action. In the initial process of entering into Agreements with the wholesale traders and implementation of the Act and declaring of essential items are also in action successfully.

We opened the 54th Lak Sathosa Branch at Colombo University premises on March 17 to provide the consumers with quality goods at reasonable prices. We emphasized initially on the 10 items declared as essential whereby any increase should be effected on prices only with the consent of the Consumer Affairs Authority.

The notice issued by the Consumer Affairs Authority indicates below the prices and it is the mandate and the duty of the Authority to establish a mechanism to maintain the stability of prices.

Our aim is to develop a new culture on consumerism. We need just and reasonable traders and alert consumers to make our attempts success. The effects and innovative steps taken by the Minister has directly and indirectly effects on the prices.

The wholesale prices identified and entered into voluntary agreements with the wholesale traders are as follows:

Sugar Rs. 50.00, dhal (Turkey) Rs. 70.00, dhal (Paradise) Rs. 75.00, big onions Rs. 48.00, red onions Rs. 42.00, Potatoes (imported) Rs. 51.00, dried chilies Rs. 140.00, dried chilies (Super) Rs. 160.00, sprats Rs. 145.00, mung beans Rs. 105.00, chick pea (grade I) Rs. 120.00, chick pea (grade II) Rs. 115.00, canned fish Rs. 95.00.

We thank the business community for having entered into these agreements and agreeing to be a part of the mechanism to help themselves as well as every segment of the society, viz, the consumer, the trader, manufacturer, industrialists and the people as whole.

Sarath Wijesinghe,

Chairman,

Consumer Affairs Authority.

Unethical promotion of drugs - Consumer Protection activists have serious role to play

Excerpts from the welcome speech given by D. K. J. Amarasingha, Actg. Director General of the Consumer Affairs Authority, at the inauguration of the World Consumer Rights Day seminar held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute auditorium on March 15.

“Today marks the World Consumer Rights Day, and the Consumer Affairs Authority has commemorated this annual event every year since the inception of this Authority. The celebration of this event during the past few years was with a different note, keeping with the tradition of typical Sri Lankan festivals, with dramas, art exhibitions and talks on general topics on the subject of Consumer Protection.

“This year’s event, however, marks a breakaway from that tradition, and the Chairman, Sarath Wijesinghe, aptly decided to align the commemorative agenda with the world theme for this year, which is ‘Unethical Promotion of Drugs’.

Since narcotic drugs, obviously are not openly promoted, and any promotion if ever present is indisputably 100 per cent unethical and is un-debatable, the word drugs in our theme for this year, therefore, relates exclusively to pharmaceutical drugs.

“A pharmaceutical drug, from among almost all items of consumption by the average consumer, is one where the consumer has the least choice, mostly being at the mercy of the promoting agency either manufacturing or marketing the drug or the physician who prescribes it.

The consumer or the patient is very much vulnerable to the promoters of pharmaceutical drugs due to the lack of knowledge of the item and due to the desperate position one is placed in, when required to consume a drug.

This weakness of the gullible consumer provides unfettered opportunity for manufacturers and marketers of drugs to resort to various devices and gimmicks in promoting their trading wares and luring the consumers to send the stuff down their throats, and this area, therefore, needs extreme and consistent protection by the state.

We being in the forefront of consumer protection activists will be failing in our duty and conscience if we defer any longer addressing with sufficient seriousness this subject affecting millions of helpless and hapless consumers in this country and all over the world.

(To be continued)

Water is as essential to our life as air

Continued from last week

Section 18(1) where the Minister is of opinion that any goods of any service is essential to the life of the community or part of thereof, the Minister in consultation with the Authority may by order published in the Gazette prescribe such goods or such service as specified goods or specified services as the case may be.

Presently the items under S 18 are wheat flour, cement, milk powder and gas. Steps are being taken by the Minister and the CAA to include 10 more items into the list in order to give a breathing space to the consumer at lease during the coming festive season.

Depending on the conduct of the water bottle companies and the response of the public the CAA may take steps to bring water bottles too under Section 18 of the CAA.

Therefore, the authority has no mandate over the price of bottled water. If the price of the bottled water is not marked, or altered and the consumer has a doubt on the quality do not hesitate to communicate us.

It is time for the consumer to reconsider to change the eating habits and make attempts to live with nature and be economical. The cost of living is the topic discussed in the country, for which the Government, the Minister and the CAA is concerned and attempts to take necessary steps.

Mobile phones and bottled water though expensive has become the fashion and an essential ingredient for day to day life. Why do you not drink ‘Thambili’ which is most nutritious which will cost you only in the range of Rs. 12 to 20 when you spend up to 100 rupees for polluted water.

It is safer and healthier to drink ‘home made’ pure water in place of poisonous aerated and bottled water which are imported and locally made which is backed by vigorous publicity. Why not the working class, students and those move about bring your own water bottle from home as being practised by many European countries.

In the United States and EU it is a fashion to drink water on the underground and public transport. There too people have lost faith in bottled water despite regulations which are stringently implemented. People prefer to carry water from home which are boiled and bottled by themselves.

We are famous in following west at every turn and why not follow them in this matter too? Be vigilant in buying water. Please do not hesitate to question the trader and read the description carefully. If you are doubtful and suspicious please inform the relevant authority quickly and with all relevant details.

It is a good idea for the consumers to form consumer organisations in your own interest. The CAA Act provides for in the act which states 8(f) the functions of the authority shall be to (f) promote, assist and encourage the establishment of consumer organisations. It is a simple process to form these associations which can coexist and share power with the CAA in discharging the mandate.

Exploitation of the consumer and slow poisoning process is taking place slowly and steadily. It is our duty to protect the consumer and at the same time help the trader, manufacturer and industrialist.

We are bound to act under the Government policy, the CAA Act, Mahinda Chintanaya and in the parameter of free economy, which is not an easy task. Steps will be taken to advice, guide and if necessary, procure this anti-social, and illegal acts putting the lives of ordinary consumers into danger.

We concede water bottling industry as an essential industry to be used properly. It is a necessary ingredient for the tourist industry. We can export water not only to Middle East and even to EU countries. It is a sorry affair that we import water from countries where water is in short supply.

Steps are being taken by the CAA to invite all major players in water bottle industry, the regulator bodies as well as the industrialists in order to discuss all aspects and develop a proper mechanism, to pave the way for the consumers to have healthy water of proper standard, at a reasonable price within our mandate.

The major player and the authority is the Minister of Health whose hands should be strengthened and every concerned citizen should give unreserved support to. Please help us to help you.

Concluded

(The author Sarath Wijesinghe, Attorney-at-Law and a Solicitor in England and Wales is the Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority. [email protected], Tel. 2399146. Hotline: 2321696. Fax: 2399148 for comments suggestions and criticism).