Sharmada Nerlekar’s research while affiliated with Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College and other places

Objective: Sexual dysfunctions are increasing day by day. Various formulations are available for the treatment of same. There has been psychological mind-set among Indian patients to have powdered medicines for the sexual dysfunction management. The aim of this study was to analyze the preferred formulation by the patients for the treatment sexual dysfunction. Methods: A cross-sectional and observational study was undertaken from January 2018–January 2019 in psychiatry OPD of a tertiary care teaching institute after approval from the Institutional Ethics Committee. A semi-structured questionnaire was made collecting information on demographic details and preferred pharmaceutical formulations for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions. Results: Out of 164 participants who were analyzed, the most common age group having sexual dysfunctions was found to be 21–30 years (44%). Patients preferred Ayurvedic form of treatment (38.41%) over Allopathic (23.17%). Patients were in favor of SOS medications (51.83%) than day or night doses. Majority of the patients wanted drugs in tablet form (67.07%), in monthly doses (43.9%), of white color (39.02%), along with water (54.88%) and at <Rs.100 per strip (67.07%). Conclusions: Majority of the patients prefer Ayurvedic form of treatment and SOS, on monthly basis, white colored tablets, taken with water at affordable prices. These factors need to be kept in mind while formulating new drugs and guidelines to ensure better compliance.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, autoimmune and inflammatory disease affecting the joints and cartilages, eventually leading towards deformity and resultant disability. Today’s rheumatologists have an armamentarium of Disease Modifying Anti Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) to choose from. The chronicity of the disease, resultant deformities and reduced work capacity adds to the socioeconomic burden of the disease. This study aims to compare the costs of various brands of DMARDs (both biological and non-biological agents), so as the give the readers an idea about the cost range and variation present amongst the available DMARDs. Materials and Methods: Current Index of Medical Specialties (CIMS India) application was accessed in the month of August 2020 to note the cost of various brands of DMARDs. The information was tabulated. The cost difference and percentage cost variation was calculated and compared. Results:The maximum number of brands was available for methotrexate amongst the biological as well as non-biological agents. Least and highest percentage cost variation was observed for 2.5 mg strength of methotrexate and 100 mg of cyclosporine, respectively. In general, biologicals had fewer brands in the market as the cost was considerably higher than the non-biological agents. Conclusion:There is a wide variation amongst the costs of various DMARDs. This has its own advantages. Conscious choice of economical brands can profoundly effect the socioeconomic burden of rheumatoid arthritis management.

Introduction: Medical undergraduate courses and medical students have less emphasis on animal research and the various ethical issues surrounding animal research. Animal research plays a vital role in basic medical research and yet undergraduate students know very little about the same. Aim: To assess the attitude and knowledge of medical undergraduate students towards animal research in general. Materials and Methods: A total of 152 undergraduate medical students in the final year of their medical studies from two medical colleges (one from Mumbai and one from Kolhapur) were administered a semi-structured questionnaire on attitude and knowledge towards animal research. The questionnaire was validated by three senior researchers and was specially designed for the study. The data were collected and analysed using frequency and percentages. Results: Only 66(43.42%) students had visited an animal house/animal laboratory in their medical training and 114 (75%) of them had actual experience of handling animals mainly in the form of dissection studies on rats, frogs and guinea pigs. Only 21(13.8%) were aware of ethical guidelines regarding animal research and 23 (15.1%) strongly agreed that ethical aspects of animal research needed stringent regulation in India. Conclusion: Animal research awareness is scarce in undergraduate medical students and there is a need to incorporate animal research awareness from a medical science point of view in their curriculum to help them develop an understanding of animal research and its ethical dimensions. © 2018, Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research. All rights reserved.

Objective: Drugs to reduce gastric acid secretion are one of the commonly prescribed drugs by doctors of varied branches. There are many numbers of brands of different drugs available in India. Hence, this study was designed to compare the prices of different gastric acid suppressants of various brands available in India. Methods: The Current Index of Medical Specialities October 2015-January 2016 was used to analyze the prices of various gastric acid suppressants and their combinations. The cost of each molecule of different strengths was tabulated and cost range and % price variation were calculated. Results: A wide range of cost variations were seen among different categories of gastric acid suppressants available more so among proton pump inhibitors. Furthermore, it was observed that wide variety of fixed drug combinations is available. Conclusion: Price control mechanism has an important role and is very much important to reduce the cost burden of treatment particularly in India. © 2016, Innovare Academics Sciences Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Background: Coronary artery disease is one of the most prevalent causes of death and disability in developed and developing countries. There is a wide variation in the prices of oral antiplatelet drugs marketed in India. Thus, a study was planned to find out the variation in cost in the oral antiplatelet drugs available in India either as a single drug or in combination and to evaluate the difference in cost of various brands of the same antiplatelet drug by calculating percentage variation in cost. Methods: Cost of oral antiplatelet drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies, in the same strength and dosage forms was obtained from “current index of medical specialties” October 2015-January 2016. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in cost per 10 tablets was calculated. Results: Percentage variation in cost for oral antiplatelet drugs marketed in India was found to be-clopidogrel 75 mg (1067.3%), clopidogrel 150 mg tablet (148.7%), prasugrel 5 mg (94.4%), aspirin 150 mg (69.8%), prasugrel 10 mg (54.8%), aspirin 75 mg (51.5%), clopidogrel 300 mg tablet (42.9%) and ticlopidine 250 mg (32%). The lowest percent cost variation found is ticagrelor 90 mg (0%). In combination therapy the highest price variation (235.6%) was found for aspirin (75 mg)+clopidogrel (75 mg) followed by aspirin (150 mg)+clopidogrel (75 mg) (24.2%). Conclusions: There is a wide difference in the cost of different brands of oral antiplatelet drugs available in India. The clinicians prescribing these drugs should be aware of these variations in cost to reduce the cost of drug therapy.