New NMC norms: generic drug prescriptions will shift balance between physicians and pharmacists, say doctors

“The doctor asked me to get the medicine that he prescribed here instead of the medicine you gave,” said a customer at a medical shop adjacent to Hyderabad’s Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) on Wednesday. Told. Conversations centered on the issue of generic versus branded drugs. This mix-up included Itragy-100 itraconazole capsules instead of the prescribed Candyforce-200 tablets, both sharing the same chemical composition for treating fungal infections but different brands. belongs to

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While these events are not uncommon for frequent medical users, potential changes are on the horizon. New guidelines released by the National Medical Commission (NMC) on August 3 emphasize that all Registered Physicians (RMPs) must prescribe medicines using generic names in a legible and clear manner. and medical experts have expressed differing opinions. Some doctors believe that the balance of power shifts from doctors to pharmacists.

The guidelines further emphasize the importance of rational drug prescribing, discouraging unnecessary drug use and irrational combinations of fixed-dose tablets. In order to ensure transparency and accuracy, prescriptions provided by RMPs and medicines dispensed by pharmacies must explicitly state the generic name of the medicine in accordance with the NMC Directive. The rationale behind these directives, according to the NMC, is to reduce public healthcare costs by encouraging the use of generic drugs that are 30-80% cheaper than branded drugs.

However, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said the notice was unwarranted. “This is unfair to doctors who always consider their patients’ interests as non-negotiable,” Delhi’s IMA said in a statement.

A medical store owner pointed out that her store is located on a highway and charges a lot of money for rent. If the option arises to offer medicines based on generic names, stores may prefer higher-margin medicines, he said. Branded drugs have a profit margin of 20%, while generic drug profit margins he could be 30-40%. Despite the economic aspect, both types maintain the same chemical composition and quality, the owner added.

The customer, who regularly buys medicines for his father, said switching to generics in recent months has saved him a lot of money. Previously he was spending ₹5,000 a month, but now he has reduced it to ₹2,000.

Although we are not against generic drugs, concerns remain about their bioavailability, efficacy, and overall effectiveness in treating disease. BN Rao, president of the Telangana chapter of the Indian Medical Association, stressed the need to consider potential side effects of generic drugs beyond cost. He also expressed concern about the lack of accountability for these drugs.

Dr Rao added that instead of asking doctors to prescribe generic drugs, the government should try to lower the prices of branded drugs through tax cuts and low-cost infrastructure.

Generic drugs are defined as drugs that are equivalent in dosage form, strength, route of administration, quality and performance characteristics, and intended use to the brand/reference listed product. A branded generic drug is a drug whose patent has expired and which is manufactured by a pharmaceutical company and sold under a different brand name. These drugs may be cheaper than branded patented versions, but more expensive than mass-produced generic drug versions. Regulations on the prices of these branded generic drugs are less stringent.

The NMC guidelines also encourage patients to purchase medicines from Jan Aushadi Kendras and other generic pharmacies, while advising them to avoid branded generics. In Telangana, 67 such shops have been established in the last three years.

“When dealing with human life, the National Control Board should give proper guidelines rather than putting blanket conditions on it. Generic drugs are certainly better, but only under certain conditions. In some cases, it can be dosed by trial and error, but in severe cases there is no compromise.Maintaining quality is far more important than controlling price,” said the IMA-Telangana Scientific Committee. said Kiran Madara, chairman of the

In response to a question in Sabah on August 11, the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers said India’s pharmaceutical industry ranks third in the world by volume and 13th by value. The country’s excellence is evidenced by his production of over 60,000 generic drugs across 60 therapeutic categories.