The Medical Council of India, MCI, has issued a public notice to all physicians to prescribe drugs only by generic names and warned them of action if they fail to adhere to its guideline.
The MCI has also asked the medical practitioners to ensure that there is rational prescription and use of drugs failing which strict disciplinary action will be taken.
The MCI reiterated its 2016 directive, in which it had amended the clause of the Indian Medical Council Regulations mandating the doctors to prescribe medicines by generic names in place of brand names.
Recently, while inaugurating a multi-speciality hospital in Surat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stressed on putting in place a legal framework to ensure that the doctors prescribe low cost generic medicines to the patients. The government is also revising the National List of Essential Medicines of 2015 to include more medicines.
The Jan Aushadhi programme, under which the government provides essential medicines at reasonable rates at specially established shops, is also being reinforced.
