Hyderabad: Many doctors find it difficult to recollect the generic names of branded drugs. This is also because while interacting with medical representatives they only deal with the names of the brands.
Senior general physician Dr G.K. Rao said, “The names of branded drugs are familiarised through marketing and also there is assurance that they will be available in pharmacies. This does not happen in the case of generic drugs as there is often a big question on their availability.”
Drug controllers say that fast-moving generic drugs like Metoprolol, folic acid, B Complex, Amoxycilin etc. are easily available but keeping huge stocks of all generic medicines and their combinations is a challenge.
At the same time, for asthma, cardiovascular diseases and HIV patients, a combinations of drugs is prescribed for which remembering the right generic names is very important.
A senior doctor said, “Many doctors remember only brand names of the combination drugs. But remembering each and every generic name in the combination drug becomes difficult for them. Hence it is the duty of the Pharmaceutical department of the government of India to ensure that there are constant updates to doctors so that they can remember and prescribe these generic combinations of drugs.”
