Medical practitioners must stop taking commission from diagnostic laboratories and pharmaceutical companies, urged doctors at a conference of Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) in the capital yesterday. “Doctors prescribe unnecessary check-ups or unsuitable medicines to their patients just because they get a commission from the parties concerned,” said Dr Pran Gopal Dutta, vice chancellor of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
In addition, this makes diagnostic laboratories increase their service charge so as to be able to pay the doctors, meaning that the commission comes out of the pockets of the patients, said Dr Pran Gopal.
“If a urine test can be done for Tk 15 in India, it is unethical for the same test to cost Tk 80 over here,” he said.
Dr Abu Shafi Ahmed Amin, president of BMDC, recommended that medical students be taught courses in medical ethics, to make sure that they are fair to their patients.
-With The Daily Star input
