NewDelhi, Naitung 19: The Government has from time to time been issuing repeated circulars/ instructions to all Central Government hospitals, CGHS dispensaries and the State Governments for encouraging / motivating doctors to prescribe generic medicines to the maximum extent possible. Instructions have also been issued that all Central Government hospitals must provide only good quality generic medicines, and that whenever any branded medicine is prescribed, it shall invariably also be mentioned that any other equivalent generic medicines could also be provided.
The Code of Medical Ethics under Indian Medical Council Regulations, 2002 also provides under article “1.5 Use of Generic names of drugs” 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. Further, article “6.3 running an open shop (Dispensing of Drugs and Appliances by Physicians)” says that drugs prescribed by a physician or brought from the market for a patient should explicitly state the proprietary formulae as well as generic name of the drug.
Apart from this, to check the practice of the State / UT drug licensing authorities of issuing licenses for manufacture of drugs in brand names, the Central Government issued direction to all the State / UT Governments on 1.10.2012 under Section 33P of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 to grant / renew licenses to manufacture for sale or for distribution of drugs in proper / generic names only.
The Government has been writing to Central Government Hospitals and State Governments to prescribe generic drugs. Government has also opened Jan Aushadhi Stores. The Health Minister stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha here today. Said the official press statement from the PIB.(SP News)
