A new beginning in medical anthropology: scope and relevance of ‘pharmaceutical anthropology’ in India

Year 2013, Volume: 4 Issue: 2, 51 - 57, 31.12.2014

Abhradip Banerjee Gopalkrishna Chakrabarti Arnab Das

Abstract

Over the years, medical anthropology like the discipline of anthropology as whole has gone
through a lots of changes. The present article discusses about one of these latest modifications,
a paradigmatic shift which spared the anthropological lens to look into other more important
and contemporary issues in complex and heterogeneous societies. It discusses the issue how
pharmaceutical anthropology emerged as subfield. Moreover this article aims at providing
some of the historical underpinnings which led to the development of pharmaceutical
anthropology. Finally, by discussing about some of the contexts and scopes of pharmaceutical
anthropology in India it shows how anthropologists can contribute to the better understanding
of present day health care system.

Keywords

Medical anthropology, pharmaceutical anthropology, health-care system, Indian pharmaceutical industry

References

• Adams AS, Soumerai SB, Ross-Degnan D. (2001) Thecase for a medicaredrug coverage benefit: acritical review of the empirical evidence. Annu Rev Publ Health 22:49–61.