Hurdles in mandatory generic medicine prescription

Abstract

Coronavirus pandemic has brought forth the urgency of providing affordable health care to everyone. Generic medicines are often one-fourth to one-tenth of the cost of the branded drugs, and so offer a remarkable opportunity to significantly lower the health-care expenditure. However, the argument for promoting generic medicines is indisputable, we have to think about the other enabling conditions which are necessary for a successful health policy on encouraging generics without causing unintended adverse repercussions. This paper attempts to answer such questions by considering the motivations of the various stakeholders of the broader health services ecosystem in India and undertaking a systematic analysis of the winners and losers from such a policy. We argue that generic prescription will not be successful without prior improvement in the state capacity for quality control of drug manufacturing; rise in awareness among the doctors, patients, and pharmacists; improved trust in the medical systems; and innovative demand-side interventions.