AGARTALA, September 11 (TIWN): The effort to promote the consumption of the generic drugs of the State Government is going nowhere; as the doctors allegedly continues to prescribe the branded drugs.

The project, despite all good intentions of providing cheaper options to costly drugs, is yet to catch up among the general public and even among doctors.

The 5th Generic Medicine centre has been launched on September 11 at Kulai Hospital under Dhalai District.

However, with the skyrocketing costs of healthcare and the medicines in recent times, choosing generic drugs may be the only way to keep costs lower because Generic items are available at very low price compare to the branded counter parts while providing same efficacy.

More centers to be inaugurated at Khowai, Santir Bazaar and Teliamura.

Research works throughout the world show that generics work just as well as brand name drugs. Generic drugs have the same active ingredients as branded drugs but are much cheaper than the brand-name drugs.

To ensure the availability of quality medicines at affordable prices to all, the Dept of Pharmaceutical, Union Ministry of Chemical & Fertilizers, decided to launch in 2008 a nation-wide campaign viz ‘Jan Aushadhi’ as a direct market intervention strategy.

The generic drug shop manages to attract very less customers but the medical stores are being brimming with customers despite of high cost as because most of the people are not aware of the generic store and also there are doctors who prescribe for branded medicine.

It has been alleged that as the doctors have some link with the pharmaceutical companies and kickbacks, they mostly recommend the branded drug which brings profit to the branded companies.

At such Jan Aushadhi Stores provide high quality generic medicines manufactured by approved pharma companies are being sold at low prices. Such medicines are equivalent in potency and efficacy to branded drugs.

With the inauguration of the Generic Stores, the people would be beneficial as the price of generic medicines is less in comparison to the non-generic medicine or branded medicines.

However, it is to be mentioned that though the Government has asked to prescribe generic medicine as much as possible most of the doctors do not bothered about the benefits of the patients rather they focus on their own benefits and profits.

As the low cost medicine would have helped the poor and needy family who can hardly afford the extra balance for their health.