The National Medical Commission (NMC), the country’s top medical regulator, has issued new guidelines requiring doctors to prescribe only generic medicines. This move has sparked protests from both doctors and the pharmaceutical industry. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest professional association of doctors in the country, has criticized the guidelines, likening them to “running trains without tracks.”
Doctors argue that this directive takes decision-making power away from physicians and gives it to whoever is working at the chemist shop when the prescription is filled. The IMA released a statement on Monday questioning why branded drugs should be licensed at all if doctors are not allowed to prescribe them, as modern medicines can only be dispensed with a doctor’s prescription.
Since the guidelines were posted online on Friday, doctors have been voicing their concerns. The guidelines include new prescription requirements and other directives on professional conduct, ongoing professional development, social media interactions, and more.
The ethics and medical registration board under the NMC has outlined guidelines on professional conduct, stating that all registered medical practitioners should prescribe drugs using generic names clearly and avoid unnecessary medications and irrational fixed-dose combination tablets.
The NMC justifies the move by pointing out that generic medicines are typically 30% to 80% cheaper than branded ones, potentially improving access to quality care. However, doctors argue that this could lead to pharmacies substituting lower quality generics for the prescribed medication.
Dr. Arun Gupta, president of the Medical Council, raised concerns about the availability and quality of generic medicines, noting that many medical stores do not stock them due to narrow profit margins. This could force patients to search for the prescribed medication, which might be more expensive than a branded version. He also warned that pharmacists may push higher-profit margin brands over generic alternatives.
Dr. Sharad Agarwal, president of the IMA, emphasized the challenge of ensuring quality with generic medications. He gave an example of a patient not improving after taking a generic medication, which could lead them to switch to a branded option, affecting the doctor’s reputation.
Overall, the new guidelines on prescribing only generic medicines have stirred up controversy within the medical community, with concerns about accessibility, quality, and the impact on doctors and patients.
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