PMA rejects DRAP notification on generic prescriptions

LAHORE: The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) is concerned over a notification issued by the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan, directing Health Departments to ensure that doctors prescribe generic names rather than brand names of medicines.

In a statement on Wednesday, PMA (Centre) Secretary General Dr S.M.Qaisar Sajjad said the PMA condemns this move because issuing such directives is beyond the domain of the DRAP. It has exceeded its authority which is unlawful. The government should have contacted stakeholders and discussed the issue at large before making such a policy.

Director, DRAP, Dr Abdur Rashid who issued this notification is from the Pakistan Pharmacists Association (PPA) and is going to contest PPA elections in the near future. It is clearly a conflict of interest.

In fact, the PMA believes that this notification is not beneficial for patients or public. It will open the doors of corruption for medical stores. They will sell the product of their choice for more profits.

This will establish symbiotic relationship between the chains of sellers and will never benefit public. The PMA has the following concerns which should be discussed before the implementation of generic-based prescription policy. Substandard medicine is freely sold in the market.

The DRAP should regulate pharmaceutical manufacturing for quality, efficacy and standardized medicine. Pricing and cost approval by the DRAP should be on merit.

The prices of the same generic medicine of different companies should be the same. Medical stores should have fulltime qualified pharmacists. The policy of generic medicine failed in 1976 so it needs to assess causes of failure and rectify it. In the present situation, the PMA rejected the notification and demanded that the government withdraw it immediately.