Ensuring that generics replace branded drugs

Substituting branded drugs with generics will be a challenging journey

How the top leadership can make a difference was witnessed after the recent announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that all medical practitioners should prescribe generic drugs. Soon after, the Union ministry of health and family welfare and the Medical Council of India (MCI) shot off letters to all stakeholders, referring to the MCI notification of 2016, asking for strict compliance with clause 1.5 of chapter 1-B of the Indian Medical Council Act, which states that “every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names”.
 
However, India is not best known for compliance with rules and regulations. The implementation of