JA drugs growth has been poor: Only PM Modi has been promoting JA but others in Govt have been idling

By statetimes_editor Last updated Oct 21, 2024

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?
Faster Prescription by Chemical name is enforced, demand for Jan Aushadi outlets will grow at triple the pace

DAYA SAGAR
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 and India Pharma Sector output in 2020-21 was quoted 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 Rs 180555 cr against the total pharma import of Rs 49436 crore . The report also said that still the majority of Indians lack sufficient access to affordable medicines. So question that need be taken and replied to is why the majority of Indians lack sufficient access to affordable medicines?
The brief answer to the question lies in the facts that (i) a very large population in India is economically very very weak ( which could be supported with reasons like over 80 crore population of India depends for survival with 5 kg grains/ ration per head given free by the government ) and majority of Indian people having lost in the delivery of services by government hospitals except a very few like PGI Chandigarh/ AIIMS Delhi) inspite of Government spending Lakhs of Crs on the salaries / materials (ii) the branded patent bound medicines, even the patent free branded ‘generic’ medicines manufactured by a number manufacturers under different brand names are sold at significantly /’disproportionately ) higher prices than they could be sold and it has been found that even where generic medicines ( patent free) are available at different MRPs the prescription writers are prescribing the generic branded medicines which have higher MRP though they are identical in their therapeutic value.
Serious notice was taken of the unfair trade practices of labelling even the patent free medicines sold under brand names to the extent with MRP as higher as even 3 to 5 times than what could be possibly marked with reasonable trade practices was taken notice of by the Union Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers which was then in 2008 headed by by Shri Ram Vilas Paswan and it was decided in 2008 that Public Sector Pharma PSUs will manufacture the patent free allopathic medicines and market these medicines with no brand name but only the Generic name ( chemical name of the technical grade material used ) through the retail outlets in private sector named Jan Aushadhi Stores ( centres) operated by Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI — a society registered under Registration Act, 1860 on 01-12-2008)Under Jan Aushadhi Campaign . The first Jan Aushadhi Kendra was started on 25-11-2008 in Amritsar. The pharma companies marketing the medicines by generic name / chemical name were in microscopic numbers in India in 2008 ( are even in 2024).
It was decided that where ever possible atleast the patent free drugs should be prescribed by prescription writers by their chemical name and not the trade name and where ever needed instructions / orders be issued by Ministries of health for writing prescriptions by chemical name. But since the Jan Aushadhi scheme did not suit the trade & the ‘associates” very less was done by the concerned government agencies / BPPI to promote the JA medicines and enforcing for prescription writing by chemical name ( even by the Government Doctors while in Government Hospitals / in their private clinics where ever PVT. Practice was/ is allowed).
But the progress of the Jan Aushadhi Outlets had been very very poor which well reflects from the balance sheet / trade account of BPPI for 2015-2016 where only nearly INR 11 Cr supplies were made to JA Stores/ Kendras ( Rs.11,05,39329.91) ending year 31-03-2016 on all India basis (janaushadhi.gov.in/brochure.html ) in a country of over 650000 villages. It could also be said for reference that out of INR 400000 Cr MRP label worth market around Rs 360000 Cr drugs are being sold Indian domestic market that are free from any patent rights / as generic branded or generic medicines. Why so low share of trade for Jan Aushadhi when prices are so fair/ genuine ?
It was after 2015 ( 2016-2017) that Narendra Modi , the Prime Minister of India took notice ( may be from his private sources he got some feedback on poor state of affairs of JA Scheme ( which is surely a very definite common man relief programme without any load on the state exchequer) of the so poor performance of the Jan Aushadhi Scheme and Modi almost personally took the ‘marketing’/ promotion of Jan Aushadi medicines and even upto 2024 although the achievement has not been very appreciable but still there has been comparably very reasonable increase in turn over. PMBI Revenue ending year 31 March 2022 has been no doubt only Rs 567.58 Cr (INR 567, 57,93,922/=) but it has been reasonably meaningful when we look at 2015-16 which was not even Rs 12 Cr for a 7 year old programme. Targets for over 10000 stores have been set for 2024-25 or so after the scheme has been named as PM Bhartiye Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna . The way the JA stores are growing at present it may take decades to cover the geographical limits of India and the way the promotional and marketing agencies are working on ground by then INR Lakhs of Crs will be got drained unfairly out of the pockets of the Indians.
Even taking the pharma industry output only limited around INR 246564 Cr ( MRP 400000 Cr INR) and market around Rs 350000 Cr MRP for patent free drugs may be there in India . So government must mobilise the machinery to enforce prescription writing by Chemical name / generic name so that the patients visit the JA Kendras in more numbers and in case that happens the drug manufacturers will also think of stopping unfair MRP marking practices.

So in case the prescription writing by chemical name ( generic name ) is enforced it will give multidimensional gains like (i) the visitors to JA stores would increase there by motivating more people to open JA stores (ii) more people going to JA stores some companies may also start reasonably marking MRP on lower side so that the retail outlets can better service the prescriptions written by Generic/ Chemical name (iii) with prescription writing by Chemical name growing even the conventional retail outlet owners will approach the JA distribution agencies like BPPI / of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India -PMBI to also supply them JA products for sale and with this the JA outlets number would also grow indirectly, no doubt the terms for giving JA outlets should to be relaxed but at the same time for these outlets the cost of incentives that the BPPI/ PMBI give to outlet holder too would reduce (iv) faster the prescription writing by chemical name grows , faster will be the check on the undue flow of money out from common man pockets.
Good, it has also been decided to include items other than Medicines marketed under the franchise of Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India -PMBI instead of BPPI which would further reduce fleecing of patients .
So the highest in administration in States/ UTs must join in promoting the PM Bhartiye Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna by enforcing 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 Health .
When PM can work promoter of a welfare programme why can not the officers below?
(The writer is a social activist and leading coloumnist on J&K affairs).