Govt told to intensify generic drugs promotion

Govt told to intensify generic drugs promotion

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The chairman of the House of Representatives Commission VII for
health and population affairs, Posma Tobing, urged the government
on Friday to intensify its promotion of generic drugs to build
public trust in and knowledge of such drugs.

"People should realize generic drugs are of the same quality
as patent drugs even though they cost less," Posma said on
Friday. Patent drugs can cost five or six times more than generic
drugs.

"People should also be aware of their right to ask for generic
drugs on a prescription, and doctors should not refuse such a
request," Posma said.

Consumers have the right to get clear information on a product
and the right to options, he said.

He also said the Ministry of Health had to be more dedicated
in increasing people's awareness about generic drugs.

In 1989, the minister of health issued regulation No. 85
obliging doctors at government hospitals to prescribe generic
drugs.

However, only a few doctors still adhere to the regulation.

Most people think that the more expensive a drug, the more
effective it is, and as such generic drugs have never gained
popularity here.

The government believes the problem also lies in the selling
mechanism, where the price is relatively low and the industry is
unwilling to produce the product.

Distributors and drug outlets also do not like lower prices as
the profit margin is small, health minister Achmad Suyudi said
earlier.

Now the government plans to increase the price of generic
drugs by up to 7 seven percent to help develop the market.

There are about 12,000 kinds of drugs sold in Indonesia, 60
percent of which are prescription drugs. About 80 percent of the
prescription drugs are patent and generic drugs.