In any country, research and studies pertaining to medicines tend to be expensive. That is why companies researching new medicines tend to pass on these costs to consumers. However, a look at profits raked in by drug companies indicates that pharmaceutical (pharma) companies do tend to overprice medicines. Given that quality healthcare is essential for all, the society at large suffers due to the extravagant prices of good medication. This is where generic medicines come in.

1. Indian Pharma and Generic Medicines
In any country, research and studies pertainingto medicines tend to be expensive. That is why companies
researchingnew medicines tend to pass on these costs to consumers.However, a look at profits raked in by drug
companies indicates thatpharmaceutical (pharma) companiesdo tend to overprice medicines.Given that quality
healthcareis essential for all,the society at largesuffers due to the extravagantprices of good medication.This is
where generic medicines come in.
What aregeneric medicines?
Basically,generic medicines and vaccinations arecopies of originally researched drugs,butat much lower prices.A
few years post the launch of a new drug by a pharma company, the patent on itexpires. That is when copi es of the
drugs are manufactured and sold by non-original makers atmuch cheaper rates. For example, Aspirin and
Paracetamol aregeneric drugs that are often sold under brand names likeDisprin and Crocin.
The dosage, composition,method of intake, benefits, quality,and even sideeffects of generic medicines are
similar to the brand-name version of the drugs.Just because generics have a significantly lower pricetag,it does
not mean that these medications areless effective.
Are these medicines legal? Yes. In fact, the availability of such generics can bringabout a massivechange in
healthcareas far as the prices areconcerned. Even the Medical Council of India (MCI) has been pushingfor the
extensive use of generic medications.A 2002 regulation stated that physicians should prescribegeneric-name
drugs as far as possible.A notification followed in 2016,where itwas mandated for doctors to prescribelow-cost
generics in placeof brand-name drugs. This directivewas again reiterated the followingyear after the Indian Prime
Minister emphasised on a legal framework for prescribinggeneric medications to patients.
What roledoes India play in the generic medicines and vaccines space?
India is currently amongthe biggest providers of generic medicines in the world, and it accounts for 20 percent of
the volume of global generic drugs exports. What works in India’s favour is thetalented pool of scientists,
researchers,and engineers, who develop innovativesolutionsfor healthcareata cost basethat is significantly
lower than that of many other countries worldwide.
Till 2005,productpatents on medications were not granted in India,and this gave riseto the development of
generic, low-costversions of medicines that had already been patented in other countries.In fact, Indian talents
were the firstto manufacture life-savingdrugs likeImatinib for cancer and Zidovudinefor HIV treatment justa few
years after their launch in the US.
Reverse engineering and manufacture of such generic medicines and vaccinationsatsignificantly lower costs has
made India a bigname in the global pharma sector.This act has played a considerablerolein makinghigh quality
medication affordableto patients across theworld and brought down the prices of several life-savingdrugs used in
the treatment of major ailments.
Today, many global healthcareprograms such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malariaas well as
UNICEF regularly usegeneric medications developed in India to treat a number of infectious diseases.Médecins
sans Frontières,a global medical charity also known as Doctors without Borders,has even termed India as the
‘pharmacy of the developing world’.
By Puneet Singh