The Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 prescribes that every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is rational prescription and use of drug. In light of this the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has issued a press release emphasising this prescription.
The National Medical Commission Act, 2019, empowers the appropriate State Medical Councils or the Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) to take disciplinary action against a doctor for violation of the provision of the aforesaid Regulations. When complaints are received against the violation of code of ethics for doctors, such complaints are referred by EMRB to the concerned State Medical Councils where the doctors/medical practitioners are registered. States have been advised to ensure prescription of generic drugs and conduct regular prescription audits in public health facilities.
In order to promote generic medicines at affordable prices to all, more than 9600 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) have been set up covering all districts of the country. Department of Pharmaceuticals /Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) is spreading awareness about the scheme through advertisements by electronic media, print media as well as through Outdoor publicity.
Under National Health Mission (NHM), support is provided for provision of essential generic drugs free of cost in public health facilities. The support is not only for drugs but also for various components necessary for effective implementation of the Free Drug Service Initiative viz. strengthening/ setting up robust systems of procurement, quality assurance, IT backed supply chain management systems like Drugs and Vaccines Distribution Management Systems (DVDMS) developed by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC), warehousing, prescription audit, grievance redressal, Information, Education and Communication (IEC), training.
