Low cost Medicine

India, a global market leader in the export of generic drugs to various countries such as the United States and Japan, as well as to countries in Africa and Europe. Generic drugs have the same chemical composition as branded drugs. But they are sold under the chemical names, which are not familiar with the general public. Popular branded drugs are too expensive. Facilitating usage of generic medicines instead of expensive branded drugs is perhaps one of the most effective ways bringing down the medical costs. This will be beneficial for large section of population.

Almost 80% of prescription drug sales are generics. Their use helps save patients and hospitals billions of dollars every year. You could save at least two-thirds of your drug costs if you use generic medicine.

Generic drugs have the same dosage, intended use, effects, side effects, route of administration, risks, safety and strength as the name-brand versions. For example, for popular branded drugs like Crocin and Calpol, their generic name is Paracetamol.

Many people become concerned because generic drugs are often substantially cheaper than the brand-name versions. They wonder about the quality and effectiveness have been compromised to make the less expensive products. Actually, generic drugs are only cheaper because the manufacturers have not had the expenses of developing and marketing a new drug. When a company brings a new drug onto the market, the firm has already spent substantial money on research, development, marketing and promotion of the drug. One prime reason to popularize generic drug by the Government is to make drugs and medicines affordable for people, who cannot otherwise afford the expensive branded medicines and the private hospitals. As it is, more than 70% of India’s population lives in the rural areas, out of which around 35% is either below the poverty line or close to it. Another reason for the use of generic drugs is to reduce the unethical practices of doctors who deliberately prescribe branded drugs over generic drugs. It is rumored that private doctors would prescribe branded drugs because there are incentives or kickbacks from the pharma companies. The use of generic drugs, which are no different from the branded ones, will reduce the rising cost on healthcare and the poor people can benefit.

In India people are influenced by the “brand name” of a product whether it may be clothes, cosmetics, accessories, including grocery, durables or medicines. Even in the case of the medicines market, the brand names are more popular. Certain names of medicines have a powerful impact on people’s minds that both the medicine and the brand have become synonymous.

Another reason is lack of awareness about generic drugs. Even there is a certain section of the population who feels that since these are comparatively cheaper, they may be of inferior quality. Chemists give medicines that are written on the prescription and in most cases, the doctors don’t prescribe generic drugs. One has to understand that several branded drugs for treating lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cancer, hypertension, etc. are highly expensive and physicians usually prescribe these branded products.

Therefore to promote the use of cheaper generic substitutes popular in the country, physician’s support is the most critical factor. It is only now the health ministry decided to make it mandatory for all the physicians in the country to prescribe drugs with generic names. This is going to be a great challenge. Several countries including those in the developed world are seriously trying to promote the use of generic drugs for their citizens today. In India with huge poor and sick population, the government should have seriously attempted popularizing the use of generics nationwide long back. The Government is also to blame for the lack of awareness.

The use of Generic medicine in Oncology and Transplant medicine give great advantage for patient to follow-up medication in long-term illness. Many players are manufacturing oncology and Transplant medicine

Oncology Medicine

Generic drugs are a huge and complex part of the healthcare market. Each year, dozens more become available as the patents that protect exclusive marketing rights for the originator drugs expire or are circumvented, and as developing countries gear up their pharmaceutical sectors.

Cancer drugs are no exception. According to recent figures, in a total oncology drugs market approaching $10 billion, in india revenues from generics are growing at twice the rate of the market as a whole, and will reach more than $1 billion by 2018. The vast majority of all drug prescriptions are already for generics – more than 80% in the India.

The market is complex for several reasons. One is that rules for marketing exclusivity for medicines, e.g. for orphan drugs (for rare diseases), vary across countries, giving rise to a patchwork of opportunities for generics. Indeed in India there has been a direct challenge to drug patents, the notable

case being for Imatinib. Then there is the economics of producing generics. With prices for some reduced to just a few cents a dose, incentives to remain in production can disappear, which is one of the contributors to well-publicized shortages of cancer drugs in recent years.

And there are concerns about the quality of generic drugs. While most of the small-molecule cancer agents are straightforward to produce, they may be produced in facilities that differ from those of the originator company in levels of quality control and also in the amount of active and other substances used. However, there is also a growing category in-between, so-called complex non-biological drugs, which also cannot be subject to conventional generic regulation. A good example in cancer is Doxil, which is a nanotechnology formulation of the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin, and was introduced in 1995. Here the drug is encapsulated in nano-sized liposomes, so assessing the equivalence of a generic version poses challenges concerning the size and behavior of particles

Transplants Medicine

Although the Liver Transplant Program approves the use of generic immunosuppressive medications, it is important to be aware of the risks. Generic medications are tested in healthy adults before the FDA approves them. The drugs may react differently in patients who have had a liver transplant. For this reason, the transplant team must closely monitor the transition from a brand-name medication to a generic. Patients who take anti-rejection medications should notify their transplant coordinators if they encounter any changes in their prescription. Differences in the name of the drug manufacturer, or the shape or color of the pills can signal a change in the medication. Manufacturer information can be found on the prescription label or on the packaging used to distribute the medication. Patients should ask their pharmacists to verify the medication is the same version received the last time the prescription was filled. A transplant coordinator can also help identify these changes and schedule additional lab tests as necessary. Patients who wish to continue on a brand-name product should notify their transplant coordinator so the prescription order is written correctly. The pharmacy will fill the prescription with the generic medication unless the prescription contains the statement "brand medically necessary." Many prescription insurance plans also require higher co-pays for brand-name medications.