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DCO India to launch pan-India campaign to promote use of generic drugs
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Peethaambaran Kunnathoor, Chennai
April 18 , 2023
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Supporting the Union government’s schemes for promotion of generic drugs, the Drug Control Officers Welfare Association (DCO India) is readying a pan-India campaign to amplify and promote the use of generic formulations.
Focusing on the advantages of generic medicines, the drug control officers will directly take steps to educate the common people about the use of generic versions and recommend doctors for prescription of generics in public health facilities. They will hold awareness classes in cities and villages highlighting the importance of generics and the difference between generic and specific brands. Further, the association will support the manufacturers who are engaged in the production of generic formulations, sources from the association informed.
As part of this mega project, the national body of the drug control officers will host meetings in rural and urban areas in every district in the country after its first annual congress which is slated for July 8 and 9 in Gurugram near Delhi.
Senior regulatory officers who hold key positions in the association said the first annual congress of the DCO India will chalk out plans for the awareness promotion and it is likely to announce the strategy of the promotional work in the presence of union health minister and the drug controller general of India (DCGI) who are expected as chief guests.
According to sources, the main agenda of the second day of the annual congress is to hold a wider discussion on the highlight of generic drugs and assessment of the operations of the Pradhan Mantri Baratiya Jan Aushadhi Pariyojana and their retail outlets in the country. The second day of the general body meeting is completely set aside for the discussion of generic medicines. DCO India hopes that the regulatory officers under the central and state governments can easily promote the segment of products and the mission will be carried out as a social responsibility.
“Government of India is giving top priority for the promotion of generic drugs by way of Jan Aushadhi Stores. However, there is poor awareness among people about the quality of generic medicines and they suspect it with that of branded ones. As per Indian pharmacopoeia there is no second quality in drugs. Whether it is generic or branded, each drug has to comply with the standards of the pharmacopoeia and it has to be ascertained by the regulators who lift the samples from the retail shops. Our mission is purely based on social responsibility however it is the duty of the drug control officers to check the standards of the medicines legally. The general body will discuss the issues and we will chalk out a plan of action on how to perform the duties with the generic stores or generic products. The officers will pick samples of all generics in the market and send them for testing. If any drug is tested as poor quality the officers will take legal action against the manufacturers and the DCO India will urge the concerned officers or state drug controllers for expediency of actions. Actually this suggestion was made by some CDSCO officers who will elaborate their points in the annual congress,” said G Koteeswara Rao, president of the national association.
Responding to a question about the probable reaction of manufacturing companies who are engaged in the businesses of branded medicines, Koteeswara Rao, the Hyderabad based retired regulatory officer, said the association is least bothered about their reactions as the regulatory officers are committed to the society to do justice for the people. To another question, he said the drug control officers have no favour for any company or any particular scheme of either the central government or any state government, but they pitch for use of generic versions and promotion of local productions. Their ultimate aim is to promote awareness about generic medicines and that segment will be highlighted. They will not go for support for their mission from any government, however, they are ready to receive all kinds of advice, suggestions and recommendations for this specific purpose.
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