Lok Sabha Question No. 454 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Branded Generic Drugs
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: K. ASHOK KUMAR

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 454 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 th  March, 2018

## Branded Generic Drugs

- *454. SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Indian  Pharmaceutical  Industry  earns  major  part  of  its revenue by selling branded generic drugs in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the generic drugs are cheaper than branded generic drugs and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether it is true that the generic drug is sold by its salt name, while the branded generic drug is sold by the company under a particular brand label; and (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI ANANTH KUMAR)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFFERED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF STARRED QUESTION NO. 454 FOR REPLY ON 27.03.2018

- (a):  Yes.  However,  the  Drug  (Prices  Control),  Order,  2013  does  not distinguish  between  branded  generic  drugs  and  generic  drugs.  However, based on the report of the All Indian Origin Chemists & Distributors  Ltd.'s Advanced Working, Action and Correction System (AWACS), the total Annual Turnover of formulations for 2017 was Rs. 1,16,389  crores. It is understood

that a major part of it is the share of the branded generic medicines. (b):  Branded  generic  medicines  are  generally  sold  at  higher  prices  in comparison  to  their  unbranded  generic  equivalents.  An  illustrative  list comparing the prices of some of the unbranded generic  medicines sold at the Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras and their branded counterparts is given at Annexure. (c)  &  (d):  Yes.  The  generic  drugs  are  sold  under  name  as  per  Indian Pharmacopoeia,  while  the  branded  generic  drug  is  sold  by  the  company under  a  particular  brand  label  along  with  the  pharmacopoeia  name  (salt

- name) which is also required to be mentioned along-with the brand name.

Annexure  referred  to  in  part  (b)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred  Question  No.  454  for 27.03.2018 raised by Shri Ashok Kumar regarding 'Branded Generic Drugs'.

## List comparing the prices of

## generic medicines in PMBJP Kendras and branded medicines

|   S. No. | Medicine Name                       |   Price at which medicines are sold at PMBJP Kendras (Rs.) |   Average Market Price of top three branded medicines (Rs.) |
|----------|-------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Amlodipine 5mg 10 Tablets           |                                                       3.24 |                                                       20    |
|        2 | Atenolol 50 mg 14 Tablets           |                                                       5.56 |                                                       22    |
|        3 | Clomiphene Citrate 50 mg 10 Tablets |                                                      15.04 |                                                       85.1  |
|        4 | Losartan 25 mg 10 Tablets           |                                                       5.74 |                                                       26    |
|        5 | Metoprolol 50 mg 10 Tablets         |                                                       5.95 |                                                       53    |
|        6 | Telmisartan 40 mg 10 Tablets        |                                                      12.64 |                                                       70    |
|        7 | Atorvastatin 10 mg 10 Tablets       |                                                       8.02 |                                                       70    |
|        8 | Cetrizine 10 mg 10 Tablets          |                                                       1.84 |                                                       15.3  |
|        9 | Ramipiril 5 mg 10 Tablets           |                                                       9.68 |                                                       72.8  |
|       10 | Fexofenadine 180 mg 10 Tablets      |                                                      27.54 |                                                      125.69 |
|       11 | Ofloxacin 200 mg 10 Tablets         |                                                      14.8  |                                                       52.6  |
|       12 | Oxaliplatin 50 mg Vial Injection    |                                                     430    |                                                     3215.34 |
|       13 | Terbinafine 250 mg 7 Tablets        |                                                      31.66 |                                                       94.33 |
|       14 | Citicoline 500 mg 10 Tablets        |                                                     169.88 |                                                      457.66 |
|       15 | Levosulpiride 25 mg 10 Tablets      |                                                       9.49 |                                                       67.91 |
|       16 | Tadalafil 20 mg 4 Tablets           |                                                       7.63 |                                                      209.43 |
|       17 | Gemcitabine 1000 mg Vial Injection  |                                                     631.21 |                                                     6412.04 |

*****