Availability of Generic Medicines: Health Ministry Statistics

New Delhi: Recently, through a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha,  Minister of State (Independent Charge) Sh Ashwini Kumar Choubey informed about the Generic Medicines.

As on 05.03.2018, under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), 3214 Kendras have been opened in 33 States/Union Territories of the Country and are functional in order to make available quality generic medicines at affordable prices to all. A State/UT-wise list of 3214 functional PMBJP Kendras, including in West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala and Maharastra, is given below:

S.No.	State/Union Territory	Number of functional PMBJP   Kendras
	Punjab	76
	Delhi	41
1	Haryana	69
2	Uttar Pradesh	501
3	Uttarakhand	97
4	Madhya Pradesh	68
5	Tripura	24
6	Mizoram	8
7	Andhra Pradesh	180
8	Gujarat	280
9	Karnataka	272
10	Rajasthan	89
11	Maharashtra	215
12	Odisha	72
13	Chandigarh	5
14	Jammu & Kashmir	33
15	Himachal Pradesh	28
16	Jharkhand	46
17	Bihar	95
18	Kerala	323
19	Chattisgarh	195
20	Arunachal Pradesh	24
21	Telangana	77
22	Tamil Nadu	274
23	Assam	51
24	West Bengal	47
25	Nagaland	11
26	Manipur	36
27	Dadar & Nagar Haveli	7
28	Puducherry	11

Under ‘Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Priyojana’ (PMBJP), the product basket of the scheme now covers more than 700 medicines and 154 surgicals & consumables covering all major therapeutic groups such as Analgesics, Antipyretics, Anti-allergies, Anti-infectives, Anti-diabetic, Cardiovasculars, Anti-cancers, Gastro-intestinal medicines, Diuretics, etc. 666 medicines and 81 surgicals are available for supply under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Priyojna.

There are no reports of any gap between commonly used medicines and their availability in the medical stores of the Government. There is no report indicating shortage of most prescribed generic drugs at the outlets opened at Central Government Hospitals in Delhi.

Medical Council of India (MCI) has notified an amendment in Clause 1.5 of Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002, which stipulates that “Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription and use of drugs”. Medical Council of India, vide its Circulars dated 21.04.2017, 22.11.2012 and 18.01.2013, has reiterated that all physicians should prescribe drugs with Generic names. Director, CGHS has vide Office Memorandum dated 08.09.2017, issued instructions to all CGHS Wellness Centres to ensure that prescription is only by generic name wherever generic drugs are available.

The MCI or the appropriate State Medical Councils have been empowered to take disciplinary action against a doctor for violation of the provisions of the aforesaid Regulations. As and when complaints are received against the violation of these, such complaints are referred by MCI to the concerned State Medical Councils where the doctors/medical practitioners are registered for appropriate action.