THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Apart from doctors who help big drug companies without prescribing generic names, a special lobby is also active in government hospitals that sell drugs illegally. This group includes some employees and medical storekeepers.

The group is active from taluk hospitals to medical colleges. In surgery and ICU, the medicine should be bought by the relatives of the patient. A prescription for this will be given by the hospital. Illegal sales are done under this cover.

Doctors will write medicines on the case sheet. Other employees look at this and write a special note and give it to the relatives. In addition to what is on the case sheet, additional medication will also be added to the prescription. Additional medicines purchased by the patient's relatives will be returned to the same medical stores. Hospital staff say that a small number of doctors turn a blind eye to this.

Relatives of patients undergoing minor surgery are made to buy double the required quantity of medicines. These can range from syringes to injectable drugs and expensive pills.

Own pharmacy company

Some doctors have pharmaceutical companies owned by family members. Although many have their registered offices in Bengaluru, Chennai and Delhi, they operate in Kerala. Medicines are manufactured in several companies in North India. These medicines will be readily available near the hospitals these doctors work.