Ahmedabad: Taking up the issue of doctors prescribing generic drugs, the Gujrat High Court recently is reported to have issued a notice to number of institutions including the Medical Council of India, the central government, the drug technical advisory board, the Gujrat state government and five others in the matter.
This comes after four consumer activists filed a PIL in the state high court, accusing medical practitioners of not prescribing medicines and insisting that patients buy branded medicne.
Gujarat high court on Wednesday issued a notice to the Centre, Medical Council of India (MCI), Drugs Technical Advisory Board, the state government and five other concerned authorities over a PIL complaining that the doctors were not prescribing generic drugs and were insisting patients to buy branded medicine.
................................ Advertisement ................................
The PIL, TOI reports, states that common people must not be exploited in health sector by forcing them to purchase branded medicines, which cost several times higher than medicines under generic names. While highlighting various laws as well as instructions put forward by the apex medical body, the PIL complained that despite all this doctors do not follow rules, but there is no mechanism to take action against such defaulting medical practitioners.
................................ Advertisement ................................
Supplementing their argument with a list of price differences between many generic and branded medicines, the petitioners have sought directions to authorities to set up a mechanism by which doctors should be made to prescribe generic drugs. For the same they also sought directions by the authorities to set up prescription guidelines in detail and define penal action in cases of non-adherence.
The court has issued notices to MCI and the respective governments seeking response in the matter. Next Hearing is scheduled for January 11, 2016
Read Also: MCI gazette Notification asks for Legible Prescriptions
Read Also: WB: Chemist mob beat up govt doctors for prescribing generic drugs
Author Details
Meghna A Singhania is the founder and Editor-in-Chief at Medical Dialogues. An Economics graduate from Delhi University and a post graduate from London School of Economics and Political Science, her key research interest lies in health economics, and policy making in health and medical sector in the country.
She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in.
Contact no. 011-43720751
................................ Advertisement ................................
Why not state authorities go for the price control of the Drugs.
If doctor is not to decide the brand, are the chemists or the traders will be allowed to that? Who is not at all responsible for the treatment of patients.
Will these people pay the compensation if there is reaction to the drug or no effect for the drugs the doctor is forced to prescribe ?
Has any one tested the various generic medicines for impurity levels vis a vis reputed branded drugs. I suspect purification process of the final drug is an expensive and difficult procedure which most generics may not diligently do, else their cost would be nearly the same as the branded drug. I am sure the levels of the active ingredient (that is what is usually tested) would be the same but I doubt if the impurity levels (which are rarely tested) would be the same. No data on impurity levels in drugs is ever mentioned anywhere on the packing and is not mandatory in law.
If the Govt. wants the doctors to prescribe only generic drugs, then it is better to ban the branded drugs.
Let only generic drugs be available in the market. That will solve the problem completely for all the parties.
agreed. first ban the branded drugs. Does govt. has gut to do it ? I have a doubt.
There are various issues when we prescribe combinations medications which have different strengths in different brands, so it\’s not that simple to just write generics and be at the mercy of the pharmacist, IMA should take proactive role in highlighting these issues and no doctor will get carried away by Pharma companies luring so easily and whatever prescription is written is in best interest of the patients
Also same drug has varied efficacy in different brands, physician learns that over years of experience