Ban on prescription of branded medicine in SKIMS widely lauded, but should also apply to OPD: Patients

SHAKEELA ANDRABI

SRINAGAR: On May 15, 2023 the centre has warned doctors at Central Government-run hospitals and CGHS wellness centres to comply with the norms of prescribing generic medicine failing which action will be taken against them. Following the guidelines of the Central Government, the (SKIMS) Soura issued an order extending the ban on prescription of branded medicines at the Institute. Simultaneously, it also issued directions to bar the visits of representatives from Pharma companies to the premises of the hospital.
Medical Superintended SKIMS Soura issued an order to all HoDs of the hospital to prescribe generic drugs only.
The order reads “It has been conveyed by DHGS, GoI and endorsed by Director SKIMS and ex-officio Secretary to Government, that all medications prescribed in the Government hospitals should be generic medicines only and not in any case branded medicines”.
The order has also reiterated that visits of medical representatives to the Government Hospitals’ premises are completely curtailed. Communication about the new launches (of drugs by pharma companies) must be sent via email only, the MS SKIMS, said.
SKIMS authority said that the ban on prescription of branded drugs was already in vogue and the order ‘reiterated the communication by DGHS’. He said the ban was imposed on prescription of branded drugs for patients admitted to the hospital and would not affect those seeking treatment on OPD basis. “In-patients are covered by Ayushman Bharat Scheme and for the scheme, it is important that generic drugs are prescribed,” he said. He further said that such drugs were available and provided to patients in the Institute.
OPD patients, on the other hand are unhappy with the decision ,some of them told The STATE TIMES that doctors in hospital should be made to prescribe generic medicine as hundreds of elderly and needy patients visit the hospital every day for routine check-ups . But the medical practitioners even Senior doctors are prescribing branded medicines even to the elderly which is very expensive and cannot be afforded by the elderly and common man.
It is important to mention that , the DGHS issued an order for reinforcement of a ban on prescription of branded medicines in Central Government run hospitals and those under Central Government Health Schemes. The order clearly instructed all the doctors working in such hospitals to prescribe only generic drugs.
In 2017, J&K Government had ordered that doctors in Government hospitals prescribe only generic medicines as part of Jammu & Kashmir Drug Policy. The order saw poor implementation, primarily due to non-availability of such medicines.