The central government has ordered pharmacies to display generic drugs on separate shelves so that consumers can opt for generic medicine to expensive brand name drugs.
Drug Comptroller General has issued a letter to all states and union territories to provide a shelf for display of generic medicines.
The Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) agreed to keep a separate rack/shelf reserved solely for the storage of generic medicines in a part of the premises separated from other medicines, which shall be visible to consumers. This was stated in the minutes of a DTAB meeting held on February 12.
Generic medicines in India have received a new impetus with Prime Minister Modi himself advocating the usage of these medicines. Doctors will now be required to prescribe generic formulations of medicines, as opposed to specific brands. The Prime Minister has announced that prescription of medicines by their generic names will be mandatory.
In order to reduce medical expenditure and make drugs more cost affordable the government is promoting generic medicines.
The government had launched the Jan Aushadhi Scheme in 2015 to sell generic drugs at an affordable rate at affordable prices in Jan Aushadhi Stores (JAS). There are around 3,500 Jan Aushadhi Stores across the country.
“Every retail outlet should provide a separate shelf/rack reserved exclusively for stocking generic medicines in the licensed premises separated from other medicines, which shall be visible to the consumers,” said S Eswara Reddy, Drugs Controller General of India.
