Lok Sabha Question No. 1993 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-29
Subject: Promotion of Generic Medicines
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: M V V Satyanarayana

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1993 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH NOVEMBER, 2019

## PROMOTION OF GENERIC MEDICINES

## 1993. SHRI M.V.V.SATYANARAYANA:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  any proposal  to  open  more  Generic  Medical stores  in Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli, Vizianagaram, Araku and various parts of Andhra Pradesh and if so, the detail sthereof;

(b) whether the Government is contemplating to promote usage of Generic Medicines instead ofbranded medicines by disseminating information through advertisements in TV and print media and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether the Government is also considering to amend the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 on this issue and if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether the Government is aware that most of the Private Hospitals/ Corporate Hospitals discourage  the  usage of  generic  medicine s  in  order  to  encourage only  branded  medicines which is burdensome to the patients; and

(e) if so, the steps being taken/ proposed to be taken to promote generic medicines across the country?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAM ILY WELFARE

## (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b): Under  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Pariyojana  (PMBJP),  5803 dedicated  retail  outlets  or Janaushadhi  Kendrasselling affordable  generic  medicines  are functional in the country as on 25.11.2019, out of which 185 kendras are in Andhra Pra Out of these 185 kendras, 19 are functioning in Visakhapatnam district (including one e Anakapalli and Araku, which are subu rbs of Visakhapatnam district) and 4 in Vizianagram district. The complete details of the Kendras including their address, contact number, available on the website janaushadhi.gov.in.       Further, ten applicants have ap obtaining the dr ug license for opening the PMBJP kendra at various places in the State.

- (b): Bureau  of  Pharma  Public  Sector  Undertakings  of  India  under  the  Ministry  o Chemicals  &  Fertilizers,  the  implementing  agency  of  PMBJP  is  carrying  out  awarene campaign about the salient features of PMBJP through various types of advertisements suc as  Print  Media,  Radio  advertisement,  TV  advertisement,  Cinema  Advertisements  and Outdoor publicity like Hoardings, Bus Queue Shelter branding, Bus branding, Auto Rickh wrapping. In a ddition to this, BPPI also educate the public about the usages of Jan Aush generic  medicines  through  social  media  platforms  like  Facebook,  Twitter,  Instagr Youtube, etc. regularly.

(c): No such proposal has been approved by the Government.

(d)& (e): The Government has not received any such report.

Further, the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has taken various regulatory measures to  promote  and  ensure  the  quality  of  generic  medicines.  These  include  instructio Licensing Authorities to grant/ renew licenses to manufacture for sale or for distri drugs in proper/generi c names only, amendment in the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 for making  it  mandatory  to  grant  license  for  a  drug  formulation  containing  single  a ingredient in proper name only, and inclusion of provision in the Rules, 1945 for subm of the resu lt of bioequivalence study alongwith application for grant of manufacturing li in  the  case  of  certain  drugs  and  also  provision  for  joint  inspection  of  manufa establishment by the Drugs Inspectors of Central Government and State Government.

Medical  Council  of  India  (MCI)  has  notified  an  amendment  in  Clause  1.5  of  Indi Medical  Council  (Professional  Conduct,  Etiquette  and  Ethics)  Regulations,  2002,  wh stipulates  that  'Every  physician  should  prescribe  drugs  with  generic  names  legibly  an d preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is a rational prescrip of drugs'.