SMIMER Doctors directed to Prescribe Generic Medicines
Surat: In a move aimed at reducing the financial burden on patients, doctors at the Surat Municipal Institute of Medical Education and Research (SMIMER) have been directed to prioritise prescribing generic medicines whenever possible. Branded drugs are to be recommended only in rare and justifiable cases.
The directive follows a recent meeting of the SMIMER executive board, during which Surat Mayor Daxesh Mavani voiced concern over patients being unnecessarily directed to purchase costly branded medicines instead of generic versions. The hospital, which sees approximately 3,000 patients daily, operates two on-campus medical stores — one selling generic medicines and the other offering branded pharmaceuticals.
According to the Times of India, while SMIMER provides many essential medications free of charge, patients are often required to buy certain drugs from outside the hospital. Complaints have been mounting from patients alleging that doctors show a preference for branded medications, calling for stricter measures. "It came to my attention that doctors are prescribing medicines that patients must purchase at a higher cost from the private store, even though those medicines are available in the generic store," Mavani said.
Mayor Mavani expressed disapproval over reports that certain doctors were prescribing drugs only available at the branded outlet, despite those same medications being stocked at the more affordable generic store. This practice, he said, imposes additional expenses on patients, many of whom already struggle with medical costs.
Mavani also pointed out the disparity in space allocation between the two pharmacies. The generic medicine store, despite its public benefit, has been allotted a smaller area compared to the private branded outlet, reports the daily. “We are considering the option of providing space only to the generic medicine store on the SMIMER campus," he said.
He stressed that generic drugs, which contain the same active ingredients as their branded equivalents, offer a far more cost-effective treatment option. "Prescribing generic medicines will help reduce treatment costs for patients. Branded drugs should be prescribed only when absolutely necessary," he added.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that while hearing a PIL that sought enforcement of a statutory code to regulate unethical marketing practices by pharma companies, the Supreme Court also observed that doctors across India should be directed to mandatorily prescribe only generic medicines to patients, instead of the brand names of medicines.
