A Note to Doctors: Prescribe Generic Medicine or Face Action

Highlights:

The high cost of medicines in India is making treatment unaffordable for many, especially the poor and middle class
The proposal to mandate the prescription of generic medicines raises concerns about the sustainability of pharmaceutical companies and the ambiguity of official directives
Over-regulation and the promotion of generic medicines without addressing quality concerns may have negative consequences for the pharmaceutical market and patient care

Are you also one of those doctors who prescribe brand names instead of generic names in their prescriptions? If so, perhaps you should reconsider your prescription writing.

Recently, there was a proposal to make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generic medicines, aiming to address pricing issues. However, it is important to consider the sustainability of pharmaceutical companies and the various costs involved.

The high cost of medicines in India is causing difficulties for patients, particularly the poor and middle class. However, policymakers often respond to these issues without considering the underlying problems ().

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‘Amidst the prescription predicament in India, the ambiguity surrounding generic drugs leaves patients and doctors caught in a web of uncertainty. #GenericVs.BrandedDrugs’

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Medical Council of India Encourages the use of Generic Names

The Medical Council of India (MCI) and other official notifications have encouraged the use of generic names in prescriptions to ensure the rational use of drugs.

However, the directives lack a clear definition of ‘generic drugs’ and do not explicitly forbid the inclusion of branded generics. This ambiguity undermines the intended purpose of the directives.

There are concerns about prescribing drugs solely by their generic or pharmacological names. If doctors are limited to generic names, they would be unable to prescribe brand-name drugs, creating a paradox considering multinational companies are allowed to market their brands in India.

If doctors are restricted to pharmacological names, pharmacists could dispense drugs based on their preferences, potentially leading to conflicts of interest and patient harm.

India's issues with counterfeit medicines must also be considered. While evidence suggests that generic medicines are equivalent to branded ones, quality assurance is crucial.

Branded generics often have FDA approval and quality control measures, but pharmacological generics may have quality issues.

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Why are Doctors being Encouraged to use Generic Names?

The sole reason to encourage the use of generic names when writing prescriptions is to promote cost-effective medications and improve accessibility.

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Generic vs. Branded Medicines: Balancing Affordability and Quality

Addressing the affordability of medicines requires considering various solutions. Restrictive price control may discourage companies while setting prices based on market share still results in high prices for poorer segments.

Shifting to prescribing pharmacological generics is flawed, and the current healthcare system has its own limitations.

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From Politics to Patients: Debunking the Generic Medicine Debate

Political groups have joined the debate without fully understanding the issue, making demands for generic prescriptions and cost displays. However, these actions are often politically motivated rather than genuinely beneficial.

Capitalism is seen as superior to socialism due to its incentives for innovation and development. Regulatory actions can have positive effects, but excessive regulation may lead to product withdrawals and hinder new high-quality products.

India's pharmaceutical market is dominated by branded generics, making medicines more affordable. Over-regulation could harm the market and reduce investment.

Currently, the government may encourage doctors to include both generic and brand names in prescriptions, although the term "generic" remains undefined. The issue may fade from public attention for now but is likely to resurface in the future.

Reference:

Prescription writing: Generic or brand? - (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28827856/)

Source-Medindia