Naina Mishra
Chandigarh, January 2
The UT Health Department has ordered prescription of generic medicines by all doctors in government hospitals of the city.
Health Secretary Yashpal Garg has ordered that all doctors must prescribe drugs with generic, non-proprietary, pharmacological names only. “However in case of drugs with a narrow therapeutic index, biosimilars and similar other exceptional cases, this practice can be relaxed,” says the order.
The doctors have been asked to avoid prescribing “branded” generic drugs and educate medical students, patients and public regarding the equivalence of generic medicine with their branded counterparts.
The orders says all health facilities and doctors of the Chandigarh Administration are advised to comply with the National Medical Commission (NMC) Regulations on “Generic Medicine and Prescription Guidelines”. However, in exceptional circumstances where branded medicines are prescribed, a date-wise diary may be maintained by all physicians, specifying reasons for prescribing a branded generic drugs. It will help in further streamlining the functioning and also in dealing with all sorts of allegations.
The order says as a regulatory measure, the NMC has circulated the Registered Medical Practitioner (Professional Conduct) Regulations, 2022. These regulations include Generic Medicine and Prescription Guidelines to reduce out-of-pocket spending on medications, which accounts for a major proportion of public spending on healthcare as generic medicines are 30 to 80 per cent cheaper than branded drugs.
Garg says prescribing generic medicines may bring down healthcare cost and improve access to quality care. Access to quality and affordable healthcare is at the core of various initiatives and policies of the Chandigarh Administration, he says. “Promoting generic medicines is important to improve medicine access to reduce out-of-pocket expenses of the public. Generic medicines are an effective substitute with same clinical benefits/therapeutics effect as branded medicines as they have same active ingredient, same strength, bioequivalent, dosage form (such as a tablet/injectable), and route of administration,” says Garg.
It has also been ordered to circulate the list of available generic medicines to all physicians working under their control and also put it on institutional websites to make it accessible to general public. “Instruct them to prescribe, as far as possible, generic medicines only, if available,” says the order.
All chemist shops within the premises of government health facilities will be encouraged to ensure the availability of generic medicines. Further, a clause will be incorporated to ensure availability of generic medicines in all chemist shops operating within the premises in all future tenders. The Director Principal, GMCH-32, and the Director Health amp; Family Welfare will highlight the benefits of using generic medicines. An advisory in this regard has also been sent to the PGI.
Up to 80% cheaper
Generic medicines 30% to 80% cheaper than branded drugsThese have same clinical benefits/therapeutics effect as branded onesMove will help reduce out-of-pocket spending on medications
Exceptions
In case of drugs with narrow therapeutic index, biosimilars and similar other exceptions, this norm can be relaxedIn such cases, date-wise diary may be maintained by docs, specifying reasons for prescribing a branded generic drug
Ensure availability
Chemist shops within government health facilities premises to ensure availability of generic medicines. Clause will be incorporated to ensure availability in all shops operating within premises in future tenders.
