Use of Generic Medicines

Abstract

The government is committed to make healthcare affordable as stated in the National Health Policy 2017. An estimated 94 million people in India are pushed into poverty due to expenditure on healthcare. About two thirds of the expenditure is incurred on medicines. Generic medicines are as effective as branded medicines. The initiative of the government and Medical Council of India by making it mandatory for doctors to write generic medicines has raised many concerns related to generic drugs availability and quality. Experience in the USA and Canada support the argument in favor of generic medicine. India is the main supplier of the generic medicines to the USA. There is a need to curtail inducement by pharmaceutical companies to promote their branded drugs as is being done in the USA. The government needs to make generic drugs easily available, strengthen quality control and educate doctors on benefits of using generic drugs.