Government to ask doctors to prescribe generic medicines

New Delhi : The government is planning to modify the rules of the Medical Council of India to make it compulsory for all physicians to prescribe medicines with generic names, Chemical and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar said.

In response to a calling attention motion in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said the Ethics Committee Regulation of the Medical Council of India (MCI) is proposed to be modified to make prescribing generic medicines compulsory.

Under the amended regulation, "every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure there is a rational prescription and use of drugs".

The minister also said the issue has been taken up with the health ministry to make it mandatory for doctors to prescribe generic medicines and to allow pharmacists to substitute generic medicines for branded medicines.

Ananth Kumar said availability of good quality medicines at reasonable price is a high priority area for the government and steps taken include bringing out a revised National List of Essential Medicines and inclusion of more medicines in the list.

"The price of medicines included in the NLEM have gone down in the recent past as a result of the downward trend in the wholesale price index," the minister said.

He also said the Department of Pharmaceuticals is aiming to open 3,000 'Jan Aushadhi' outlets to market generic medicines at fraction of the MRP.