BOOK REVIEW 65 prices by different companies (p. 172) with a four to five-fold variation in the price. The example offered is that of an essential drug; in the case of non-essential drugs price variations may be larger. Drug companies also argue that generic names cannot be used where a combination of drugs are provided (p.p. 170-175). However, there are very few disease conditions where drug combinations are really needed and such of these generally have a generic name like, for instance, the currently popular antibiotic co'trimaxozole (popularly known as Septran, Bactrium, etc.) The government's drug policy, as mentioned earlier, has been extremely inhibitory to the growth and development of the indigenous industry. The licensing policy and customs duty concessions are so haphazard that it is not conducive to indigenous production of drugs, particularly the t>ulk and intermediate drugs. There have been instances, as outlined in pp. 232-256, where an indigenous unit or a national laboratory had developed the technical process for manufacturing a drug, and the very same drug was exempted from importlevy, allowing the MNCs to freely import it from parent country. The whole issue of marketing for profitability, licensing and import policies and ~ so on have been dealt at great length in the book. These were some of the important issues discussed at the seminar and presented in the book. The whole issue of the government's drug policy and the role of the MNCs in it, the 'anti-people' nature of this policy and how it is not in the interests of the indigenous industry either, are all brought out very clearly in this book. There is also a brief and timely reminder of how, till a generation ago, minor ailments and self-limiting illnesses were treated by home remedies and how even a common man now expects a drug to cure him of the common cold ! An issue not touched upon in the book, but which should have also been discussed, is the so-called 'injection culture'. People in general, thanks to private practitioners and the drug companies, believe that injections are better than oral medicine. There are any number of injectables in the nurket which have no excuse for their existence. Milligram for milligram an injectable is much more costly than its oral counterpart and the profit margin is enormous. The issue of drug policy and the questionable practices of the drug industry needs the attention and consideration of medical men and the Jaity alike. The book does not contain any technical terms that have not been explained. We reco^mened it to all those who ever needed or may need a medicine or even a tonic ! Though priced reasonably we wish the book was available at an ever lower price. Dr KAMALA S. JAYARAO Former Deputy Director National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.