Generic Drugs to be Cheaper from December 1; Chemists for Strict Norms

Read the last line. Hats ff to Krishna District in AP

====================================

Generic Drugs to be Cheaper from December 1; Chemists for Strict Norms


By Express News Service

Published: 14th November 2014 06:06 AM

Last Updated: 14th November 2014 06:06 AM


VIJAYAWADA: The Krishna District Chemists and Druggists Association has demanded that the government make sure that the terms 'generic' and 'branded generic' be specifically printed on medicines to create awareness among the public.

Addressing a press conference, general secretary of the Association PS Patnaik said that though the government had accorded permission to all pharmaceutical companies for manufacture of generic drugs to provide medicines at cheaper rates to the public, the companies were printing the same price for branded and generic medicines, thus making consumers pay more.

"Most of the doctors prescribe branded medicines but the consumers are sold generic medicines at the prices of branded medicines. This is unfair," Patnaik said.

He urged the government to pass guidelines to pharmaceutical companies to charge different prices for the same medicine produced in branded and generic categories and wanted them to be printed.

Patnaik said the association had demanded that the state government bring pressure on the Medical Council of India (MCI) to instruct doctors to prescribe generic medicines for the patients. This was the easiest way to popularise generic medicines and fulfil the government's objective of making medicines available to people at cheaper prices.

Patnaik said generic medicines would be sold at about 2,000 medical shops across the district. Special posters would be displayed at medical shops where generic medicines were available.

"The government is planning to open 1,000 generic medical shops in the state. As we already have all the necessary infrastructure and qualified manpower, we have decided to sell generic medicines at discounted prices from Dec 1 at all medical shops in Krishna district. Efforts are also being made to sell generic medicines all over AP," Patnaik revealed.