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Price of Branded heart, diabetes drugs are 10 times higher than generic ones

 

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The main brands of some of the drugs used for the treatment of heart disease and diabetes are up to 10 times higher than generic drugs, the government said.

The average price of leading brands of heart medicines such as Amlodipine 5 mg and Atenolol 50 mg film-coated tablets, Ramipril 5 mg tablets and Losartan 50 mg and Hydroclorothiaze 12.5 mg tablets is 10-8 times more expensive than generic drugs in Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Mansukh L Mandaviya said.

"Yes, it is a fact that some branded medicines are many times costlier than generic medicines," he said in a reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

While the main brands of Glimepiride 2 mg tablets are available for Rs 50 for a size of 10 tablets, the generic drug is available at Rs 5.05 in Jan Aushadhi Kendras, he added. On the other hand, Metformin HCL 500 mg tablets leading brands are 3 times higher than the generic drugs in Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Mandaviya said.

 

In the diabetes drug segment, the average price of leading brands of some drugs is also higher between 10 and 3 times the MRP of generic drugs in Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Mandaviya said.

In the antibiotics segment, the leading brands of some of the drugs are higher up to 4 times, he added. The main brands of Ofloxacin 200 mg tablets are priced at Rs 52.60 for a pack of 10 tablets while generic drugs are available at Rs 14.80 in Jan Aushadhi Kendras, said Mandaviya.

He also said that "the group of secretaries have made several recommendations for promotion of generic medicines".

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