Dear Sir,
Recent anti-broker drives in hospitals have sparked concern after reports of medical representatives being harassed or detained. This reflects a misunderstanding of their role. Medical representatives are educated professionals, often graduates with training in basic medical science, who work to support healthcare delivery.
They travel widely to ensure the availability of safe and effective medicines and to update doctors on new drugs and improved treatments with fewer side effects. Acting as a link between pharmaceutical companies and physicians, they help practitioners stay informed about the latest scientific developments.
Beyond this, medical representatives contribute to public health awareness and monitor medicine supply in local pharmacies, reporting any quality issues to authorities. Their work, though demanding, helps maintain continuity in patient care.
While efforts to eliminate brokers are important, misidentifying medical representatives undermines these efforts. Targeting them unfairly creates confusion and overlooks the real networks that need to be addressed.
Tanvir Ahmed Rasel
Pharmacist, Kallyanpur, Dhaka
