GUWAHATI, Jan 8 � Doctors and a section of civil society have responded positively to the recent announcement that prescriptions of drugs in all government medical colleges, hospitals and others healthcare centres will have to be made only in generic names. Doctors have been instructed to stop writing brand names.
According to the directive issued by the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), Assam, from now onward all doctors working in government healthcare institutions �will write names of the drugs only in generic name�instead of using name of commercial brand��
Moreover, all prescriptions will be written in prescription pads which will be in duplicates. The patient will be provided with the one in the original format, while the duplicate copy will be retained in the institution where it was issued.
Doctors agree that it is a step in the right direction and will be of benefit to patients of the State. The initiative, which was demanded by some NGOs working in the health sector for some time, is likely to lead to more transparency on the manner in which doctors prescribe medicines by better management of prescription records.
Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Ruchira Neog of Voluntary Health Association of Assam (VHAA) expressed her satisfaction over the development, saying that some brands are more expensive than their generic counterparts. Therefore the new move will reduce the cost of drugs for many people, including those who find it rather difficult to buy expensive drugs.
According to some doctors and activists, who are supportive of more transparency in purchase and distribution of drugs, better examination of the prescriptions will also go a long way in knowing about the pattern involving the use of drugs in both urban and rural areas of Assam.
