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