In a major step towards encouraging the sale of generic medicines in the country, Union Health Ministry has directed the doctors at all the Central government hospitals and autonomous institutions to also give the names of equivalent generic medicines while prescribing branded drugs.

“The ministry has decided that whenever any branded drug is prescribed in the Central Government hospitals and autonomous institutions under the Ministry, it shall invariably also be mentioned that any other equivalent generic drug could be provided. With this prescription the hospitals could have the flexibility of providing generic equivalents of the prescribed medicine,” an official release said.

The decision was taken in the light of the fact that generic drugs are usually much cheaper than branded drugs. This will also curb the often observed practice of prescribing specific brands of medicine with a rider that no substitute should be supplied. The Directorate General of Health Services will regularly monitor the prescriptions in the above mentioned institutions for the compliance of the order, the release said.

After the Department of Pharmaceuticals launched the generic campaign by setting up Jan Aushadhi generic outlets, the DoP has been pushing the States also to give instructions to the doctors in the government-run hospitals to prescribe generic drugs. Rajasthan had already issued an instruction to this effect.

As constantly alerted by the public interest groups, the practice of prescribing branded drugs even by the government doctors has been increasing. The Common Review Mission of the National Rural Health Mission in December 2009 observed that the practice of prescribing branded drugs was rampant even though their generic alternatives were easily available.

Some unofficial figures claimed that nearly 50 to 80 per cent of people in the country still did not have access to essential medicines and the practice of doctors in promoting branded medicines was one of the main reasons for this shortage.

The Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 states that every physician should, as far as possible,prescribe drugs with generic names and he/ she shall ensure that there is a rational prescription and use of drugs.