Lok Sabha Question No. 1061 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-22
Subject: Promoting Generic Medicines
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: HARIOM SINGH RATHORE, DILIP KUMAR MANSUKHLAL GANDHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1061 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 ND  NOVEMBER, 2016

## Promoting Generic Medicines

## †1061. SHRI HARIOM SINGH RATHORE: SHRI DILIPKUMAR MANSUKHLAL GANDHI:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of the action taken by the Government to promote generic drugs and Jan  Aushadhi  Stores  (JAS)  in  the  country  along  with  the  achievements  as  a result thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has made any efforts to encourage doctors to prescribe generic medicines over branded ones and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the progress made so far in opening Jan Aushadhi Stores (JAS) in all medical colleges, district hospitals and private hospitals;
- (d) whether the Indian Medical Association and Indian Medical Council have been consulted to promote the use of generic medicines in the country and if so, the outcome thereof;
- (e) whether the generic version of each medicine is available in the market and if so, the  details  thereof  along  with  the  names  of  the  Government  companies  which manufactured generic medicines; and
- (f)  Whether  the  Government  is  buying  generic  medicines  from  private  companies also and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS; MINISTRY OF SHIPPING AND MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

- (a) With a view to achieving the objective of making available quality medicines at affordable prices, the Government has been taking several regulatory and fiscal measures from time to time. In order to provide further relief to the common man

in  the  area  of  healthcare,  a  countrywide  campaign  for  ensuring  availability  of quality  generic  medicines  at  affordable  prices  to  all,  in  the  name  of  'Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana' (PMJAY) has been started. As on date, there are 534  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Aushadhi  Kendras  (PMJAK)  functioning  over  26 States/UTs. The PMJAY is being implemented by the Bureau of Pharma PSUs of India (BPPI).

- (b) The Medical Council of India has amended  the  Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 on 08.10.2016 to provide a new para 1.5 regarding use of generic names of drugs which provides as under:

'Every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names  legibly  and preferably  in  capital  letters  and  he/she  shall  ensure  that  there  is  a  rational prescription and use of drugs.'

- (c) As  on  date,  226  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Aushadhi  Kendras  (PMJAK)  have  been opened in State run hospitals, Medical Colleges and other Government hospitals.
- (d) Yes,  Indian  Medical  Association  and  Indian  Medical  Council  are  supporting PMJAY to promote the use of generic medicines.  As noted in reply to part (b) above, Medical Council of India has amended the code to promote the use of generic medicines.
- (e) Yes, generic version of each medicine is available in the market except patented medicines. The Government  companies  which are manufacturing generic medicines  are  :  Indian  Drugs  &  Pharmaceuticals  Limited  (IDPL),  Rajasthan Drugs & Pharmaceuticals Limited (RDPL), Hindustan Antibitoics Limited (HAL), Karnataka Antibiotics & Pharmaceuticals Limited (KAPL) and Bengal Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Limited (BCPL).
- (f)  Yes,  BPPI  is  buying  generic  medicines  from  private  companies  also  through open  tendering  process  for  Pradhan  Mantri  Jan  Aushadhi  Yojana.  Presently, more than 100 private manufacturers are providing generic medicines to Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY).

*****