Doctors exhorted to prescribe generic medicines: Dr Pawar

New Delhi: Clause 1.5 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 prescribes that every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is rational prescription and use of drug. Further, the erstwhile Medical Council of India (MCI) had issued Circulars dated November 22, 2012, January 18, 2013 and April 21, 2017 vide which all Registered Medical Practitioners have been directed to comply with the aforesaid provisions.

The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The National Medical Commission Act, 2019, empowers the appropriate State Medical Councils or the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission to take disciplinary action against a doctor for violation of the provision of the aforesaid Regulations. When complaints are received against the violation of code of ethics for doctors, such complaints are referred by EMRB (previously by erstwhile MCI) to the concerned State Medical Councils where the doctors/medical practitioners are registered. States have been advised to ensure prescription of generic drugs and conduct regular prescription audits in public health facilities.

In order to promote generic medicines at affordable prices to all, more than 9600 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) have been set up covering all districts of the country. Department of Pharmaceuticals /Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) is spreading awareness about the scheme through advertisements by electronic media, print media as well as through Outdoor publicity. In addition, information about the benefits of Jan Aushadhi generic medicines and the scheme is disseminated through social media platforms. PMBI also maintains a mobile application namely Janaushadhi Sugam, a single window platform to assist users to locate nearby PMBJK, search Janaushadhi medicines, telephone numbers, etc. Further, Jan Aushadhi Diwas is celebrated every year on 7 March for further dissemination and spreading awareness about the Scheme.

Under National Health Mission (NHM), support is provided for provision of essential generic drugs free of cost in public health facilities. The support is not only for drugs but also for various components necessary for effective implementation of the Free Drug Service Initiative viz. strengthening/ setting up robust systems of procurement, quality assurance, IT backed supply chain management systems like Drugs and Vaccines Distribution Management Systems (DVDMS) developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), warehousing, prescription audit, grievance redressal, Information, Education and Communication (IEC), training.