# \[e-drug\] Generic prescriptions in India - problems & solutions - a study

**URL:** <https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-generic-prescriptions-in-india-problems-solutions-a-study/43882>\
**Category:** e-drug\
**Created:** [September 6, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-generic-prescriptions-in-india-problems-solutions-a-study/43882 "2017-09-06T05:44:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Revikumar\_K.G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9a140/32.png) [@Revikumar\_K.G](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/Revikumar_K.G)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2017, 5:44am UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-generic-prescriptions-in-india-problems-solutions-a-study/43882/1 "2017-09-06T05:44:55Z")

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E-DRUG: Generic prescriptions in India - problems & solutions - a study  
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Dear professionals,

Brand name prescriptions are widely practiced by Indian doctors. One  
generic drug may have hundreds of branded products and all brands are  
prescribed by some doctors. Branded medicines are always costlier compared  
to generic products..

Studies have shown that compared to generic items,  
branded medicines are 30 to 200 per cent or more costly in India. The  
Prime Minister of India Mr Narendra Modi in April 2017 announced that  
the Government of India intend to ensure that doctors prescribe medicines  
by generic name only.

Apart from price, brand name prescriptions promote  
irrational prescriptions as in the case of Fixed Dose Combinations. There  
are also instances of branded products containing same or similar active  
ingredients to others prescribed to patients.

Some times different generic medicines are marketed under same brand names by different manufacturers.

If the drugs control departments in the country are modernised, empowered  
and utilise the scientific advantages including information technology,  
the menace of spurious and low quality medicines reaching the market can be  
avoided.

Computerised tracking system and prescription auditing will help  
to make the pharmacy practice more professional and ethical.

Bar coding should be made mandatory for all medicines manufactured/  
marketed in the country.

The firms marketing not of standard quality medicines should be  
severely punished.

All medicines irrespective of whether they are having  
generic or brand names shall be of standard quality and the enforcing  
authorities should ensure the quality of medicines.

A study paper entitled "Generic prescriptions and dispensing in India-  
Problems and solutions" published in World Journal of Pharmaceutical  
Research Vol 6, Issue 9 pages 424- 429 is available on the web site-

[http://www.wjpr.net/download/article/1502949545.pdf](http://www.wjpr.net/download/article/1502949545.pdf)

Interested people can go through it. Opinions and suggestions welcome

Regards

Revikumar K G  
Director, Kerala Institute for Drug Studies  
Rajeevam, Kavaradi Road, Pettah, Trivandrum, Kerala, India. 695 024.  
email. kg.revikumar@gmail.com

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**Author:** ![BrightSimons](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex013/user_avatar/talk.edrugplus.org/brightsimons/32/432_2.png) [@BrightSimons](https://talk.edrugplus.org/u/BrightSimons)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://talk.edrugplus.org/t/e-drug-generic-prescriptions-in-india-problems-solutions-a-study/43882/2 "2017-09-07T14:47:15Z")

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E-DRUG: Generic prescriptions in India - problems & solutions - a study (2)  
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Dear Revikumar,

I wonder though whether this distinction between 'generics' and 'branded'  
medicines hold sufficiently for a policy intervention. Virtually all  
generic medicines are 'branded' too, if the consideration relates to  
trademarks, copyright and trade names, as opposed to patents.

In that sense a doctor may still prescribe a generic product by their brand name.  
Of course, the right policy intervention is to insist on independent  
non-proprietary names. But that does not in any way prevent the  
prescription fulfillment chemist or dispenser from giving the patient a  
more expensive generic brand, if the ultimate goal is to reduce the costs  
of medicines to either out of pocket paying patients or the public treasury.

Or perhaps I misunderstand.

Regards,

Bright

mPedigree  
www.mPedigree.net  
Bright Simons \<bbsimons@mpedigree.net\>