Promoting the use of Generic Medicines v/s. Branded Medicines

Branded medicines should be made cheaper and sold at rates similar to generic medicines

A generic drug is identical to a brand-name drug (sold by big companies) in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price.

Several medical associations have recently been requesting the Union Health Ministry that prices of branded drugs available in India should be brought down closer to the prices of their generic alternatives. They have also been requesting to check the quality of crucial generic drugs and certify them, so that doctors can prescribe them to patients without any qualms, and people too can get the maximum benefit.

Moreover, for diseases like diabetes and hypertension, where the patients have to take medicines for a long term, generic drugs will help them save a lot. Also, if the union health ministry certifies generic drugs, people won't run behind brands, and doctors can freely prescribe generic drugs.

In 2013, in a landmark decision, Supreme Court of India denied Novartis AG's request for patent protection for its Gleevec cancer treatment, allowing the nation's generic-drug makers to continue to sell copies of the drug at a lower price. The Medical Council of India (MCI) too had issued directives to its doctors to prescribe generic medicines as far as possible.

Following this, the Centre had directed all the states to ask their doctors in public facilities to prescribe only generic medicines. To promote generic drugs, more than 150 Jan Aushadhi Stores have already been opened across India.  Hope, this movement spreads and the Indian population has access to quality medicines at reasonable rates.

Contributed to the CALIBRE CREATORS LEARNING LETTER By:

Dr. Suresh Sundar, 

M.D., D.P.H. (Mumbai), 

Cert. PHC & Rural Management (Thailand)

This article which was published in the Issue No.11, Volume 3 of CALIBRE CREATORS July 2015 issue.

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