Doctors call to popularise generic drug use in India

Like branded drugs, which undergo various tests and trials by independent bodies, so do generic drugs in these countries.

The compliance levels are checked at each and every level and if there is any difference, the drugs are discarded. But that is not so in India.

A senior drug controller said, “We still have an unregulated market in terms of manufacturers and this has proved to the biggest liability for popularising generic drugs in India. Generic drugs are always found to be of bad quality and efforts by the government are not enough to fight that.”

While the department of Pharmaceuticals along with central pharma and public sector undertakings assure of providing quality medicines, there are still only a few takers.

The All India Drug Control Officers Confederation (AIDCOC) has been working hard to promote generic drugs. They say that it has to be done scientifically and in a systemised manner.

R. Uday Bhaskar, a member of the drug control body said, “A generic store requires a lot of awareness, maintaining of right quality and also ensuring customer satisfaction just like any other medical store. Also, the government has to indulge in organising awareness camps where information about these medicines is given. That helps to burst the myths. It’s a long-drawn affair and requires constant follow-ups in various forums.”