Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
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Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
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The Medical Council of India has asked all doctors to prescribe drugs using their generic names as part of the Indian government's 'Free medicine for all' programme. Although never instructed to,
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Forums » Open clinical » General clinical » Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
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Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 10:38 AM GMT
on bmj.com
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*Moderator*
Posts: 942
First: 10/9/2009 Last: 21/5/2013 |
The Medical Council of India has asked all doctors to prescribe drugs using their generic names as part of the Indian government's 'Free medicine for all' programme. Although never instructed to, as a UK junior hospital doctor working within the NHS I would always make the effort to prescribe with generic drug names. What's your practice? |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 12:28 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1178
First: 19/4/2010 Last: 21/5/2013 |
It's complicated. A bit. We are told by our health board to prescribe specific formulations as they have either secured a bulk ordering deal from a specific manufacturer, or that formulation is cheaper anyway, or it's definitely much better (rare). So when we anticoagulate anyone acutely we always use Fragmin/Dalteparin as that's the anticoagulant we use. Not sure I could get any enoxaparin, even if I wanted to. So in that case, we prescribe Fragmin. Or, as the juniors are want to say, we FRAGMINISE. Some medications are only really identifiable by their trade names - Seretide is seretide, and Fostair is Fostair, Symbicort is Symbicort. So rather than write Fluticasone and Salmeterol Combination Inhaler, I just write Seretide. Some formulations of medications are subtly different, so must always be prescribed as their trade name - oral theophyllines, for example, or Diltiazem. Everything else I prescribe generically. Simples. A bit.
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 2:49 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 579
First: 8/6/2011 Last: 22/5/2013 |
What i have not understand very well is if there is a difference in the efficiency between brand medicines and generics . Normally, if they are acredited by the BMF this should mean that generics and brand medicines have the same efficiency . Or not ? |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 3:07 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 3045
First: 27/3/2012 Last: 20/5/2013 |
Generally the generic medicines are cost-effective and be preferred over the costly branded ones, provided their quality is maintained. Of course, cost is not an important factor if compared to the effectiveness, but, it is not necessary that the branded drugs are always of a good quality. |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 4:32 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 23
First: 19/8/2009 Last: 14/5/2013 |
I always prescribe drugs in their Pharmacological name and so I don't understand any medicine prescribed in the brand name. I have to look it up, when I see a drug in it's brand name. What is meant by Generic name anynway? |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 4:48 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 526
First: 6/9/2012 Last: 22/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?: I always prescribe drugs in their Pharmacological name and so I don't understand any medicine prescribed in the brand name. I have to look it up, when I see a drug in it's brand name. What is meant by Generic name anynway? Posted by pramila Pramila, a generic name means a name that is related to a group of meds, here it means the pharmacological name, as you have said. E.g., you wouldn´t write Viagra or Revatio, but Sildenafil, which would get you into trouble at your local pharmacy at least in my country ( only the 2nd is paid for by the state insurance, it doesn´t matter that it´s the same substance they both contain). |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 4:51 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 2
First: 19/11/2012 Last: 29/1/2013 |
In Response to Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?: The Medical Council of India has asked all doctors to prescribe drugs using their generic names as part of the Indian government's 'Free medicine for all' programme. Although never instructed to, as a UK junior hospital doctor working within the NHS I would always make the effort to prescribe with generic drug names. What's your practice? Posted by Sabreena Indian pharmaceutical market is largely a market of "Bioequivalence" medicines,and each brand is promoted by not less than 50 different companies.You are never sure what you are prescribing has sufficient strength and quality or not.On top of that, India has the biggest market of fraudulent medicines.Quality control is a mere paper work. I would love to prescribe generic medicines,and so most of the people of my fraternity, PROVIDED, these generic medicines are manufactured in a Govt own factory with strict vigil on quality control, and time-to-time report on the quality to be issued to medical practitioners all over the country.Without that it will be playing with lives of people,esp the poor,who will finally get spurious,quality unchecked generic medicines!for the sake of cheap popularity, please don't promote unethical things.poor in our country are already mishandled in the name of their welfare. |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 4:59 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 526
First: 6/9/2012 Last: 22/5/2013 |
In Response to Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?: In Response to Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines? : Indian pharmaceutical market is largely a market of "Bioequivalence" medicines,and each brand is promoted by not less than 50 different companies.You are never sure what you are prescribing has sufficient strength and quality or not.On top of that, India has the biggest market of fraudulent medicines.Quality control is a mere paper work. I would love to prescribe generic medicines,and so most of the people of my fraternity, PROVIDED, these generic medicines are manufactured in a Govt own factory with strict vigil on quality control, and time-to-time report on the quality to be issued to medical practitioners all over the country.Without that it will be playing with lives of people,esp the poor,who will finally get spurious,quality unchecked generic medicines!for the sake of cheap popularity, please don't promote unethical things.poor in our country are already mishandled in the name of their welfare. Posted by sudhir This seems like an important point ! I guess we were talking about Europe or North America before where you can be sure that you get the substance that is indicated, and only the box and price might look different. |
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Re: Do you prescribe generic or branded medicines?
posted at 29/1/2013 9:30 PM GMT
on bmj.com
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Posts: 1348
First: 25/1/2009 Last: 20/5/2013 |
As has been said before, for medications such as antiepileptics then yes, due to differences in bioavailability then it is important to prescribe by brand names. Otherwise I would tend to work by generic names For medications where only one brand exists, or where the hospital only stocks one preparation, then does it make much difference if we prescribe by the brand name rather than the generic name? |
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