MedKart Urges Indian Doctors to Prescribe Generic Drugs

Ahmadabad: In the absence of stringent regulations and monitoring system, generic medicines in India, which are much cheaper than the branded ones having a market share of over $13 billion, are yet to take wings to reach the poor and middle class people, who are already burdened with mounting medical bills.

Doctors, who are supposed to mention the generic names of the medicines in their prescriptions as per the Medical Council of India (MCI)’s diktat, are simply flouting the rules by writing the brand names which are invariably costlier than the cheap and genuine alternatives containing the same chemical composition. In simple terms, the right to prescribe medicine is being misused by them for the benefit of a few pharma brands.

The government’s initiative to open up Jan Aushadhi stores across India to supply low-priced and quality generic medicines to poor has found a chink in its own armor as  Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) under Union Health ministry has recently instructed all retail chemists and pharmacists not to sell ‘cheaper drugs with identical  ingredients’. 

Ankur Agarwal

However, the government is determined to bring in a new legislation in the Parliament to make doctors write the chemical composition of drugs instead of the names given by the pharma brands. DTAB, however, argues that it can’t let pharmacists/chemists to select the cheap generics alternative to patients, though all generic medicines usually get the mandatory approvals and considered safe.

Arguing that pharma giants are allegedly colluding with medical practitioners to promote their brands thereby denying patients cheaper alternatives,  Ankur Agarwal, CEO of MedKart Pharmacy, who strives to spread the awareness on generic medicines in India, says, “It is unfortunate that though most of the leading Indian pharmaceutical companies are making a good use of the huge international market for generic medicines, when it comes to India, they want their brands to be used by colluding with physicians  and drug stores. There is also a lack of awareness among doctors and general public about the advantages of generic medicines. Government should break this sinister campaign and create a level playing field for all drug companies to sell their products through an open market system.”

Allying DTAB’s apprehension that retail chemists/drug stores may offer ineffective and even harmful cheap drugs to patients, Ankur says, “Patients can always cross-check the medicines with the doctors if druggists offer them with generic medicines. For this, doctors should be cooperative and not be brand conscious. For drugs other than the patented ones, they should encourage patients to use cheaper alternatives by prescribing generics. DTAB’s notion that drug stores are not authorized to sell matching drugs of branded medicines prescribed by the doctor can’t be accepted as they are the last mile gateways for patients to get prescribed medicines.”

Though we welcome the government’s initiative to introduce a Bill in the Parliament to mandate the sale of generic drugs, much needs to be done to plug the loopholes in the system as drug stores selling generic medicines also need to be monitored and regulated for the benefit of needy patients, feels Ankur, whose MedKart Pharmacy not only ignites the idea of generic medicines among Indians but also strives to instill social responsibility  among doctors to prescribe low cost alternative drugs to patients instead of the costly branded ones.

According to a recent study by the leading industrial body ASSOCHAM and market research firm RNCOS, the generic drug market in India is expected to cross $28 billion by 2020 from the current level of $13 billion registering a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of about 16.3 per cent. 

The growth is apparently due to the expiry of USFDA patent to over 20 Indian drugs by 2019, which the other drug companies would capitalize it by developing their own generic drugs in India.  Presently the market size of the pharmaceutical industry in India stands at US$ 20 billion.

About MedKart Pharmacy

Medkart Pharmacy is a leading generic medicine store which guides patients to get low-cost and quality generic alternatives from the best pharmaceutical companies following international quality standards. In the last 18 months alone, MedKart has helped over 35000 patients to save over Rs 8 crore by switching to generics. 

The purpose of launching Medkart was not just to spread the idea and availability of generic drugs among people but also ignite a campaign against doctors who are forcing patients to buy the prescribed branded medicines. Medkart, which has an exhaustive list of medicines, also offers online support to find the most authentic generic medicine with complete details.

Media contact:

K Ramanathan

kr.iyar@gmail.com

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