Director of PGI bats for generic medicines
Chandigarh, June 24
Director of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) Vivek Lal has reiterated the institute’s commitment to prescribing and promoting generic drugs during a press conference held today. He emphasised the effectiveness of generic drugs, even in lethal diseases such as cancer, and in preventing organ transplant rejection.
Encouraging use of generic drugs
Highlighting the PGI’s commitment to generic drugs, Director Vivek Lal shared statistics from the previous year. In 2022-23, 88% of the drugs purchased by the premier institute were generic, with only 12% being branded drugs. This demonstrates the institute’s preference for generic medications.
Professor Lal encouraged patients to procure the right generic medicines from reliable sources such as Jan Aushadhi and AMRIT pharmacies, while discouraging them from purchasing poor quality generic medicines and branded drugs from private pharmacies.
Citing various studies, Professor Lal highlighted the efficacy of generic drugs. One study he mentioned, titled “Real-world experience with ‘generic’ pomalidomide in relapsed refractory multiple myeloma”, showed that the generic counterpart of pomalidomide available in India yielded superior responses compared to the original, which was an expensive drug available in the US. This evidence supports the use of generic drugs, even in challenging cases like multiple myeloma.
Another study, titled “Cost and complications are limitations in resource-constrained settings for equine anti-thymocyte globulin”, focused on the importance of drug preparation in organ transplants. The study demonstrated that generic drugs are not only effective in preparing patients for transplant and preventing rejection but also half doses of these drugs are as effective as their innovative counterparts available worldwide.
Addressing concerns about quality control, Professor Lal reassured the public about the stringent measures in place at Jan Aushadhi Centres. India has the highest number of FDA-approved factories outside of the US. The PGIMER procures drugs from the plants approved the World Health Organisation (WHO), and each batch undergoes regular checks at the labs of the National Accreditation Board for
Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). This ensures the quality of medications available at Jan Aushadhi Centres.
He also noted that the ethics of pharmacy owners outside these centres can impact the quality of medicines.
Highlighting the PGIMER’s commitment to generic drugs, Professor Lal shared statistics from the previous year. In 2022-23, 88% of the drugs purchased by the PGIMER were generic, with only 12% being branded drugs. This demonstrates the institute’s preference for generic medications.
He also addressed queries regarding the expansion of AMRIT pharmacies and the procurement of medicines. Kumar Gaurav Dhawan, Deputy Director (Administration) and official spokesperson for the PGIMER, provided detailed responses, outlining the roadmap for further development.
