Mental illness if today the second biggest cause of disability and death in developing world. It is believed that over 75% people suffer from some sort of mental illness in poor and developing countries. The toll of mental illness is often greater than other diseases because patients and their families also have to deal with the stigma and ignorance surrounding such disorders.
The role of neuro psychiatry pharma franchise India companies in this context becomes important. Despite controversies on funding research or association with doctors, Pharma companies can and do make a substantial difference in the administration of mental healthcare in countries like India. In fact, the Indian Pharma sector is the leading producer of drugs in the world with a substantial stake in distribution and development of medicines.
However, there are a number of challenges that these companies face from multiple sources. Some of these are:
Lack of public policy
Despite the urgency of the matter, there is very little awareness of mental health issue. Most people are completely unaware of psychiatric disorders or where to look for counsel. Even though medicine is available, they do not know enough to seek out medical guidance. Poor infrastructure and poor healthcare delivery in remote sectors further makes it complicated. Since there is little push in terms of creating public awareness, these lacunae continue to exist.
Poor supervision
Lack of awareness coupled with government ignorance and apathy has meant poor supervision in the sector. One of the inherent dangers in psychiatric medicine is the dependence patients often develop towards their medication. Unscrupulous practitioners and dealers encourage this addiction to fuel their own income.
Although most neuro psychiatry pharma franchise India companies are not involved, some companies do indulge in irresponsible usage policy, rarely advertising the adverse effects of medication. This is a dangerous trend that must be countered decisively at an administration level. Unfortunately, this is not a priority issue.
Poor access in remote areas
Although there are medications available, they are not always available everywhere at all times, especially if you live in remote areas. Poor infrastructure makes the problem worse. But the real problem is the lack of potential revenue in these markets. The awareness of mental disorders is low and availability of psychiatric care is sketchy. This means that there is a low demand, which means low sales revenues.
Consequently, many companies are reluctant to invest in creating a market in these areas. However, this could itself be an advantage. Lack of other brands gives one an opportunity to create early inroads into regional market. As focus shifts in increasing mental health education, these are the new markets where demand will be coming from.
Lack of R&D
The lack of R&D in Indian neuro psychiatry pharma franchise companies reflect the lack of interest shown in the global industry. The truth is that there have been very few medical breakthrough in the last few decades. Most medicines are the generic medicines that address multitude of symptoms. This is despite the fact that there is a dire need for medicines that show fewer side-effects, have better tolerance and better effectiveness across different patient groups. demand will be coming from.
The reasons for the lack of R&D are many. It is an expensive business where companies have to fuel millions without any guaranteed results. There is also the lack of understanding for mental disorders by the scientific community. We do not why most of these disorders occur, what makes a person susceptible and why it progresses rapidly or slowly. Hence, we don’t know how to halt it or even to arrest its development for a prolonged period.
Consequently, many psychiatric medications still have an erratic effect. We cannot always predict how a patient will respond to it. It also has uneven results. While some people respond well, some may show no effect, while some may experience unwanted side-effects. In addition, the response to the medication can vary over time. It may work for some time and then stop showing any effects.
Addressing stigma
One of the factors that is of concern to the mental health community is the stigma attached to mental health disorders. It also effects the neuro psychiatry pharma franchise India companies because it stops people from seeking out medication. In addition, the stigma towards the disease often transfers itself to the medicines. The only way to counter this is through education and running awareness programs.