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IMA promotes ready reckoner to push PM’s thrust on generics over branded versions
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
May 20 , 2017
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Indian Medical Association (IMA), Maharashtra branch has circulated a
ready reckoner named Nirmalaya across all its members and professionals
registered under it to promote affordable and efficacious generic
medicines following Prime Minister Narendra Modi recent push to
prescribe generic drugs over their branded versions.
The ready
reckoner which was based on a study done in the Vidharba region of
Maharashtra over the past few years would enable allopaths across
Maharashtra to prescribe generics of drug companies at the lowest price
available in the market based on a comparative study of different
branded generics.
The exercise is based on the premise that
allopaths can recommend the lowest priced generic by referring
'Nirmalaya' a ready reckoner which can come handy for prescribing
Schedule H, Schedule H1 and Schedule X drugs also.
Medical
Council of India (MCI) had also framed prescription guidelines two years
back which clearly spells out prescribing generic medicines as per the
code of medical ethics stipulated as per the MCI Act. PM had also
announced that the government is working to bring in a legal framework
under which doctors will have to prescribe low cost generic medicines to
patients.
Based on medical code of ethics, Maharashtra Medical
Council (MMC) had also issued a standard prescription format for
allopathic doctors in the state to boost an accurate, uniform, standard
and clear prescription for the sake of patient safety. The new format,
prepared by MCI, is applicable for all doctors practicing allopathy
across the country.
Over 80,000 MMC-affiliated doctors are
expected to start using the new format across Maharashtra. MMC is a
statutory body having powers to suspend the licence of a doctor who is
found guilty of malpractice.
As per the new guidelines,
allopathic doctors must write prescriptions legibly and in capital
letters as well as furnish a complete and detailed prescription. The
comprehensive format includes the doctor's full name, his/her
qualification, patient's details, name of the generic medicine or its
equivalent along with the dosage, strength, dosage form and instruction,
name and address of medical store with pharmacist's name and date of
dispensing, as well as the doctor's signature and stamp.
Promoting
Nirmalya is a step in the right direction as the Department of
Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is also planning to make generic drugs available
under the Jan Aushadhi Scheme through retail drug stores across the
country. These drugs would range from antibiotics, anti-cardiac,
anti-diabetic, anti-infective and gastro-intestinal drugs in six
therapeutic segments.
As part of the initiative, the government
is also planning to involve private players to revive the fledgling Jan
Aushadhi scheme which is completely dependent on a handful of public
sector units (PSUs) for drug supply that makes it vulnerable to frequent
stockouts.
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