REGULATED DRUG MARKETING AS A TOOL FOR CONSUMER PROTECTION IN IKOT EKPENE, AKWA IBOM STATE A CASE STUDY OF JUHEL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY IKOT EKPENE

                                             CHAPTER ONE

                                            INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of Study

Consumer protection is more and more becoming a topical issue in the country. Consumers in Nigeria are constantly abused and have permanently remained unresponsive to various forms of trade malpractices distributed by sellers/ producers.

The efficiency of marketing as a channel of commitment to the consumers as time goes on, will depend largely on the extent it succeeds in enhancing the quality of consumers judgments and in maintaining fair competitive conditions that allows customers to make free and informed choices between various alternative.

This will involve making available to consumer much more relevant product and services information. For example, performance and safety in use, unit pricing and conditions of contract. It also means that business men on their own part must accept that the maintenance of fair competitive market condition and safeguarding of consumers rights cannot be left entirely to their own self regulatory codes. However, Legislation should be kept at a level and only enacted as a last resort. Providing successful real consumers judgment in the market place has to do with a determined effort to ensure that consumer understand their rights under existing law.  This will involve extensive consumers education on the enacted legislation self-regulating codes of practice and adverse publicity for those who transgress such codes.  This however will not be enhanced by removing from consumer the necessity to make their own decision or by imposing on the market condition, which limits the freedoms of a consumer choice or the means of developing their powers of judgments.

Based on this preview we would be investigating the level of protection offered to users of drugs by government & organization involved in drug marketing (drug dispensing and distribution). This is because of the importance of drugs to the life of the people.  A drug can help or destroy a person’s life.  It is defined as “a chemical agent that affects the function of living things”.  Drugs are used in preventing, treating and diagnosing diseases.

The investigation also extend to how in case of low level of protection, stronger protective measure could be ensured in order to have honest marketing practice in the drug industry and ensure healthy usage or consumption of drugs in the country.

In order to accomplish this study Juhel Pharmaceutical Company has been selected as a case organization.

 

1.2 Statement of Problem

Over the years the Nigeria consumers have been subjected to various forms of trade malpractices by the producers/ sellers.  There have been instances where low quality, adulterated inferior or even fake products are sold to consumers as genuine ones. Let us consider the following cases; The case of trader selling chalk as Asprin1 and PA as mentholated spirit. Drugs all over the country are categorized some are called over the counter (OT.C) drugs, while others are poisons which must not be obtained without prescription by an expert.  The patent medicine dealers are licensed to sell only the O.T.C category.  But many of them sell those in the poison category because according to them that is where the profit is.

In view of these the researcher is concerned with determining the safety of consumers of the country in consumption or usage of drugs.   

 

1.3    Objective of  the Study

The main objective of the study is to examine how regulated drug marketing can be used to enhance consumer protection. Based on this, the specific objectives are;

1. To examine how regulated drug marketing impacts on consumer education about the content and appropriate use of drugs.

2. To examine how regulated drug marketing impacts on incidence of drug misuse by consumers.

3. To examine how regulated drugs marketing improves and enlighten patent drug dealers on appropriate sales of drugs to consumers.

 

1.4 Research Questions

1. What are the impacts of drug marketing in consumer education?

2. What are the impacts of drug marketing on incidence of misuse by consumers?

3. How do regulated drug marketing improves and enlighten patent drugs dealers on appropriate sale of drugs to consumers?

 

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following hypothesis statement will be subjected to statistical test for validation or refutation.

1. There is no statistically significant relationship between consumer education about drug usage and regulated drug marketing.

2. There is no statistically significant relationship between incidence of drug and regulated drug marketing.

3. There is no statistically significant relationship between training/enlightenment of patent drug dealers and regulated drug marketing.

 

1.6 Significance of Study

This study is of immense benefit to the manufactures or producers of drug, sellers, consumer of drugs, government and to the researcher as well.

Firstly producer will benefit from this study so as to improve upon and control their marketing strategies.

Secondly the sellers of drug will adopt better marketing methods to the needs and wants of their prospective consumers, which will eventually enhance opportunity for realizing greater profit.

Thirdly the study will educate the consumers on their rights in the markets as stipulated in the laws.

Again, it will help the government to know why the drug market is still infested with unscrupulous drug producers and dealers despite all their efforts to ensure safety.

Finally, it will help the researcher to know the reason for unsafely in the drug market.     

 

1.7 Scope of the Study:

This study will consist of the analysis of various decree enacted by the government with regards to the manufactures sale and dispensing of drugs some of these decrees include the food and drug decree 1974, price control decree 1977 pharmacists act 1965 and counterfeit and take drug decree 1988.  the analysis also extend to such law that relate to setting up of patent medicine shops establishment of nursing profession and other laws deemed relevant to the study.

Assessment is made on the works of writers on consumer protection like,  Development of consumers law and policy bold spirit and timorous souls” by Bonie and Gordon the different kind of consumers laws relevant to occur study written by these authors are examined in the light of what is obtained in Nigeria.  Also the assessment consists of the roles played by the health bodies in the country.  In ensuring healthy production and consumption of drug like the pharmaceutical society of Nigeria (P.S.N) Nigeria medical association (N.M.A) national agency for food and drug administration and control.(N.A.F.D.A.C) federal environmental protection agency (F.E.P.A) national drugs law enforcement agency (N.D.L.E.A) and federal and state ministries of health (represented by Akwa Ibom State ministry of  health, Uyo).

The scope also extends to an enquiry into the disposition of distributors on ensuring the safety of the consumers in the market and methods adopted by manufacturers in order to ensure the availability of the right kind of drugs in the market and safe consumption.  This however was limited to Juhel Pharmaceutical Company in Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom state, which is used as case study.  This is because the company covers a large area (nationwide) in the drugs market. In enquiring into the activities of the drug dealers in the market the scope of the study also extend to the activities of consumers in ensuring safety in the use of these drugs.

 

 

 

1.8 Limitation of the Study

Some difficulties that limited the progress of the study start from the

uncooperative attitude of some consumers who are unlettered and suspicious of the researcher as police CID personnel pretending to be student.  Other factors that stood out as the limitation of the study include finance and time.

Finance: The researcher on this topic entails traveling every now and then and they were all financially demanding.  As a student the researcher found it difficult to provide enough finance for the research.

Time: The time interval within which the researcher was expected coupled with the academic work facing  the researcher as a final year student restricted the consideration  of some relevant issues.

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