title: Counterfeit medication: Perception of doctors and medical wholesale distributors in western India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fake drugs and active pharmaceutical ingredients most often originate in emerging industrial economies before entering the global market. Health care workers play a crucial role in detecting and preventing the distribution of counterfeit medicines.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of doctors and medicine wholesale distributors regarding counterfeit medication in western India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 300 participants consisting of 100 medical practitioners, 100 dental practitioners, and 100 medical storekeepers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that medical practitioners had more knowledge, followed by medical storekeepers and dental practitioners (mean 2.82, 2.52, and 2.37, respectively). Dental practitioners had the best attitude, followed by medical practitioners and wholesale distributors (mean 1.77, 1.76, and 1.55, respectively). Best practice behaviors were observed in medical storekeepers followed by medical practitioners and dental practitioners (mean 1.46, 1.29, and 1.12, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study points out the need for designing and implementing continuing educational programs and enforcement of vigilant laws.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Anup
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagaraj
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Swasti
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tambi
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Gautam
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Shravani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganta
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Jaipur Dental College, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India.
authors.forename: Himanshu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kumawat
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College, Dharwad, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Gaurav
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mathur
keywords: Attitude; dental practitioners; knowledge; medical practitioners; practice