Had prescription writing by Chemical name been enforced Lakhs Cr of INR would not have been Fleeced
When PM can work promoter of a welfare programme why can not the officers below?
DAYA SAGAR
My friends often ask me when the Jan Aushadhi (JA) medicines are of same technical grade material, they are equally effected and are so reasonably priced compared to same medicine being sold under a brand name then why there use is so less ? Among other reasons the prime reason I find is that the practicing doctors , not even in government hospitals, do not religiously write prescription by generic name ( chemical name ) so a large majority of people are forced to buy the same medicine sold under brand names even at a price 300 to 500 percent more than the price on which a medicine is sold . Not only that it has been observed that same drug may be manufactured by more than one manufacturer with different MRPs ( say 110/230/270) but there too prescription writers may even prescribe brand with Rs110 tag but may go with Rs.270 tag, why one can imagine. The Jan Aushadi store drug may be still available with a lower price tap. That way both the trade as well the patients are being unfairly treated. Just for idea sake two commonly used drugs used infections / other disorders are given here under in Table _A.
Annual Report 2021-2022 of the Department of Pharmaceuticals Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers GOI among other things mentions that India provides generic medicines to more than 200 countries, 8 out of 20 Global Generic companies are from India, India Pharma Sector output in 2020-21 was expected to be Rs 4,27,109 Crore. But despite the country being one of the leading exporters of generic medicines to the world, during 2020-21, total pharma export was ?180555 cr against the total pharma import of ?49436 crore and the majority of Indians lack sufficient access to affordable medicines. Before taking the issue further let me in simple common man language mention here that the ‘generic’ medicines that we are referring here are those medicines which are manufactured using those technical grade materials which are bound by the patent rights of any individual pharma company and are marketed with the chemical ( generic ) name or still under a brand name. So question here is why the majority of Indians lack sufficient access to affordable medicines?
The simple answer to such questions could be that the prescription writers don not write prescriptions by chemical / generic name and even when on date programme like PM Bhartiyae Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna medicines are also available where a large number of medicines of common / general use are available at 20 to 25% of MRP of many branded medicines and the government has not been able enforce the prescription writing by government doctors what to take of private practitioners. Jan Aushadhi programme is is a general welfare programme where government can do good to people without spending anything from the exchequer.
Jan Aushadhi scheme was started in 2008 by Ram vilas Paswan but upto 2015-16 the progress was very very dismal ( not more than even 12 Cr INR distribution by BPPI on whole sale basis to Jan Aushadhi outlets). It has been only in 2017 when PM Narendra Modi took personal interest in the scheme and has almost ( rather only) become the star campaigner . Today ( ending 2023) the all turnover of Jan Aishadhi is nearly INR 600 Cr and that is only due to Prime Minister Modi, there is almost no contribution of the programme handling ministry ( Ministry for Petroleum & Chemicals ), programme handling all India body ( earlier Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India -BPPI/ now Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India -PMBI ) Ministry of health GOI / States , the Directors of Health in states , the drug Controllers in states the Administrative Secretaries of the States/ Uts and the like since what to talk of carrying good of the programme to masses they have not been able back the Prime Minister by atleast enforcing prescription wring by chemical name in their areas What to talk of promoting prescription writing by chemical name in all doctors they have failed to promote that even in all government doctors ( serving as well as retired ) who are in a way directly or indirectly fleecing the patients by allowing the pharma companies / their dealers to sell on heavily inflated prices. It is not out of place to point here that had the sales of JA shops been promoted the private pharma companies too would have lowered their inflated MRPs worth indirectly benefitting the common man.
So the highest in administration in States/ UTs like Chief Secretary could help in promoting the PM Bhartiye Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna by making the administration below to see that prescription writing by generic name by government doctors while on duty / while in their pvt. Clinic where practice is allowed / practicing retired government doctors is strictly enforced . The general public should also report the cases / prescriptions where the brand names are written but generic name could be written to the Chief Secretary of J&K/ Administrative Secretary. When PM can work promoter of a welfare programme why can not the officers below?
(The writer is a social activist and leading columnist on J&K affairs)