Low-cost medicines for people

Low-cost medicines for people

From Bisnis Indonesia

Generic drugs are indirectly protected and their production is legal because they are genuine medicines. Pharmaceutical firms producing drugs under trademarks should have no objection.

A survey of the Helping Hands Foundation shows that Indonesian people still need generic drugs. Sixty percent of the population cannot afford to buy branded medicines and 35 percent cannot even pay public clinic fees.

It is therefore worthwhile for the government to increase investments in generic drugs without tough requirements. A lot of people need low-cost medication and free treatments in public health centers.

We have proposed that the House of Representatives conduct field studies to ascertain the numbers of people requiring generic drugs and those in dire need of free medical services in public clinics.

JAIKISHIN I. MIRCHANDANI Helping Hands Foundation Jakarta