Access to Generic Medicines 

Though we all have a basic idea of what generic medicines are we still struggle to find out the what stores we should look for when searching for generic drugs and if it is reliable.

                                 Laws in India specify that all medical prescriptions should give generic medicines and all pharmacies must make them available to patients. But aggressive marketing by private pharma companies, cut-throat competition and ignorance of the customers coupled with weak enforcement of rules allow private manufactures of branded medicines to make a killing through your “friendly pharmacy”. About 85% of total health expenditure in India is financed by household out-of-pocket expenditure (according to government figures) and medicines constitute 20% to 60% of total healthcare expenditure. Understanding the strain medical expenditure has on the common man, the central government has been working on “aggressive” marketing of generic drugs by opening pharmacies that sell these medicines, and asking pharmacies to display availability of these medicines.

                               Since 1961, pharmaceuticals have been under price regulation in India. But it isn’t just cost that the national Capital is grappling with. Non-availability of generic drugs is another problem. According to a study “Evaluating access to essential medicines for treating childhood cancers: a medicines availability, price and affordability study in New Delhi, India”, published earlier this week, it was found that availability of essential anti-cancer drugs in both public and private sector pharmacies in the Capital is far below the World Health Organization’s prescribed standards.

                                  The study was led by the George Institute for Global Health in collaboration with the University of Sydney, Cankids India, Max Super Speciality Hospital, and Boston University School of Public Health and published in the British Medical Journal Global Health. Data was collected on availability and price of 33 strength-specific anti-cancer essential medicines and four non-cancer essential medicines. Seven hospitals – four public and three private – and 32 private-sector retail pharmacies were surveyed. The study further found that only three anti-cancer essential medicines were available on the government-run Jan Aushadhi website.

                                    “Yes enforcement (sale of generic medicines) is a problem as we are facing a huge manpower crunch. Besides checking the quality of medicines, we also act on complaints etc. However, ensuring every pharmacy follows this rule is virtually impossible and making the consumer empowered and aware is the only way out, ” said a senior Delhi Health Department official.

Here are some of the online stores which provide generic medicines India:-

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• MyDawaai
• MediIndia
• MIMS
• HEALTHKARTPLUS
• Getdavai
• MEDGUIDEINDIA
• JanAushadhi
• NeedyMeds

Check out this episode of Satyamev Jayate for detail about the above content

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