Rule mandating doctors to prescribe generics may hit patient safety: IMA

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Affiliation (IMA) on Monday sought deferment of the implementation of the Nationwide Medical Fee’s (NMC) regulation that mandates medical doctors to prescribe solely generic medication, saying the most important concern with such medicines is the uncertainty relating to high quality.

A press release issued by the IMA mentioned that lower than 0.1% of the medication manufactured in India are examined for high quality. On this backdrop, the affiliation has urged the federal government and NMC to intervene instantly.

As per the notification dated August 2, the NMC in its “laws regarding skilled conduct of registered medical practitioners” acknowledged that medical doctors should prescribe generic medication, failing which they are going to be penalised and even their licence to practise could also be suspended.

Calling it an “ill-advised” step taken by NMC on the problem of generic medication, the IMA’s assertion mentioned it’s involved since this straight impacts sufferers’ care and security.

In keeping with IMA, the regulation shouldn’t be within the curiosity of sufferers.

“The measure is shifting the selection from a medical practitioner who’s primarily involved, skilled and liable for the affected person’s well being than a chemist/individual sitting in a chemist store, who’s promoting medication. This naturally would not be in one of the best curiosity of the affected person,” the IMA mentioned.

It mentioned that if medical doctors should not allowed to prescribe branded medication, then these medication shouldn’t be accepted. “We should always chorus from simply cost-cutting, no matter high quality therapy,” IMA mentioned within the assertion.

The IMA mentioned that if the federal government is critical about implementing generic medication, it ought to subject licences just for generics and to not branded medication, whereas guaranteeing high quality of the generic medication.

“Making high quality manufacturers out there available in the market however disallowing medical doctors who’re liable for sufferers’ well being from prescribing them appears doubtful,” IMA mentioned in its assertion.