Medical care

The Indonesian Medical Association's (IDI) promise (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 8, 1994) to regulate members' fees to the public (during private practice?) is a pleasant surprise and indeed a caring gesture. However, whether IDI will commit to that promise is something that remains to be seen. If they succeed in such a venture it would be commendable.

There is one more area where the IDI and/or the concerned government body should focus their attention on (if they have not done so as yet) to serve the public -- it is to the cost of medicines sold at drugstores.

As far I have seen here the cost of medicine (including or excluding local tax) is not printed on the packaging by the manufacturer. This enables the retailer to have a free hand in marking up the price as he/she sees fit and customers don't always realize they might be paying more than they would elsewhere. The cost of medicines differs substantially from one drugstore to other. It is impractical for customers to demand to see a price list each time for verification. And who issues the price lists to retailers? Whether it is a genuine price list also cannot be ascertained by the public.

It is mandatory in many countries that the cost and the expiry date of medication be printed on packaging by pharmaceutical companies. But unfortunately, for reasons unknown, such a stipulation does not seem to exist in Indonesia. Not all manufacturers print the expiry date and almost none put prices on the packaging. I believe it would be a tremendous service to the public if these two vital bits of information were made available by pharmaceutical companies.

It would be most pleasing if we could hear comments on this subject, and on anything that is being done about it in the interest of the public.

KRISHNAN A.

Surabaya, East Java