NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Health & Family Welfare has envisaged bringing in a clear provision in the law with its objective of promoting generic drugs. Minister for Health & Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad informed Rajya Sabha on Tuesday in written reply to a question.
“It has published a draft notification GSR 748(E) dated 5.10.2012 for inviting comments of stakeholders on amending the rules pertaining to the conditions for the grant or renewal of licences, for manufacture of drugs under the Drugs and cosmetics rules, 1945 to facilitate approval of drug formulations containing single active ingredient by the State Licensing Authorities in their proper/generic name only.” he added.
Minister informed that, It has also taken up the matter with the State/UT Governments requesting them to formulate a time bound action plan for promotion of generic drugs. For promoting prescription of generic drugs by the medical practitioners, this Ministry has from time-to-time issued circulars to the Directors/Medical Superintendants/ Chief Medical Officers/In-Charges of all the central Government hospitals/dispensaries/wellness centres situated in Delhi and in other parts of the country administered by the CGHS Division of this Ministry.
At the hospitals level also, circulars by Medical Superintendants of hospitals in Delhi have been issued from time to time encouraging/motivating doctors to prescribe generic drugs. All the Sate/UT Governments have also been requested to take similar steps in their Hospitals/Health Institutions.
