Jan Aushadhi Kendras were established to provide affordable medicines to the common people. Only generic medicines can be given here, but this rule is not followed everywhere. A serious case has come to light regarding distribution of medicines to patients in Safdarjung Hospital, the country’s largest government hospital. It is alleged that along with generic medicines, branded medicines are also being sold at many Jan Aushadhi centers present in the hospital premises. Whereas according to the rules, only generic medicines should be available at these medicine centres. This matter came to light when a person associated with an NGO gave a written complaint in this matter to the Union Health Ministry.
Now Safdarjung Hospital administration has started investigation. The most important thing that has come to light regarding this entire episode is that the complaint is not only verbal, but there are concrete documents to support it. The complainant also has the medicine prescription, bill for the medicines purchased and a copy of the related complaint. The complainant has said that branded medicines are available at the generic medicine centers of Safdarjung Hospital Administration. In such a situation, a contract with the rules was made with these medicine centers. It is being violated openly.
financial burden on patients
Generic medicines are much cheaper than branded ones. The government is also continuously promoting generic medicines so that treatment can become cheaper for the common man, but if branded medicines are sold at generic medicine centres, then the medicines will be very expensive for the patients. This will increase the financial burden on them. However, most of the patients are not aware of this. They feel that medicines are available cheaper from the generic centers present in the hospital premises. This is the reason why many people are now buying medicines not from outside stores but from the generic medicine centers present in the hospital. Due to this, both sales and profits have increased at these stores, but the patients are suffering losses. The medicine which should be available for Rs 16 is available for Rs 60.
This is the difference in the rates of branded and generic medicines
Vitamin B complex medicines
Generic – Rs 16
Branded-(NACOF): Rs 59.13
Telmisartan 20 mg (blood pressure medicine)
Generic – Rs 11
Branded (NACOF) – Rs 60
Thyroxine 50 micrograms (thyroid medicine)
Generic – Rs 55
Branded (NACOF):- Rs 178
Why are generic medicines cheap and branded medicines expensive?
Generic medicines are cheaper than branded ones, but their effects are almost the same. The price is low because money is not spent on things like branding, promotion, packaging on generic medicines. Understand it this way, when a company makes a medicine for any disease, it spends a lot of money on its patent and its promotion.
The packaging of generic medicines is normal and neither are they promoted through any ad or marketing company, whereas branded medicines have attractive packaging. To cover all these expenses, branded medicines are expensive. Whereas even in branded medicines, the salt is same as the generic one. That is, the elements that affect the disease are the same, yet due to all these things, branded medicines become expensive.
These are the rules of medicine distribution
Medicine dispensing rules
Hospital administration in action mode
After the matter came to light, the hospital administration immediately took cognizance. We have discussed this matter with the hospital administration. It has been said from their side that investigation into the entire matter has been started. If this allegation turns out to be true then action will be taken as per the rules.
Need to monitor generic stores
Health sector experts say that such incidents highlight the lack of transparency in the system. Monitoring of generic stores is necessary, so that patients can get affordable medicines. But if strict action is not taken on such matters in time, then the initiative to promote generic medicines may weaken.