Government should first ban branded medicines if serious about generic medicines 

Ludhiana, August 17, 2023: The notification of the National Medical Commission’s board of ethics asking the doctors to prescribe generic medicine is in total contravention to the policies of the government on the drugs rationalization. Notification expects the doctors to write Pharmacological names of the medicines. If the government is serious about the issue, then they should first ban the branded medicines. Otherwise in such situation the Chemists will decide which brand is to be sold to the patient.  

Dr Arun Mitra-President and Dr Shakeel Ur Rahman – General secretary of the Indian Doctors for Peace and Development (IDPD) in a statement here today pointed out that the quality generic medicines have been produced by the Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (IDPL) and other public sector units for long. Because of their low price these drugs reduced the cost of treatment and were in great demand for exports to not only developing countries but also in several developed countries. But the government has almost made these public sector units producing generic medicine non-functional. This is also applicable in case of the vaccines. 

Dr G S Grewal – former President of the Punjab Medical council said that there is a great flaw in the branded generics; the price difference between the MRP and the purchasing price is exorbitant. Government’s own committee on the rationalization of trade margin in the drugs had submitted its report in December 2015. But despite our several reminders and requests no action has been taken on this report. It appears the government is out to target the doctors only while be hand in gloves with pharmaceutical companies.