Send SMS for Cheaper Drug Options

[vgane]

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Interesting article..Should help the poor and needy...But how do we ensure that alternate medicines are effective with no side effects...Would there be some medical body overseeing it...Will drug companies (the well entrenched ones) allow this to erode their market share?

For cheaper drug options, send SMS
TNN | Jul 17, 2012, 01.57AM IST

MUMBAI: Some good news for consumers might be at hand. You would soon be able to find the most affordable alternative to the medicine prescribed by your doctor through an SMS-based service. The service, expected to be launched by the government in August, will be available throughout the country.

Here is how it works: Once the person sends a text message of the prescribed brand of drug to a particular number from his mobile, he will receive two to three options of the same medicine, along with the price differential. Say, a patient is prescribed a popular anti-infective like Augmentin (GlaxoSmithKline). He types in Augmentin and sends the SMS to the designated number. He would get a return SMS, possibly mentioning Moxikind CV (Mankind), which is substantially cheaper. But sources said that all responses would come with a caution: please consult the doctor before popping the alternative (pill).

Sometimes, the price differential between two alternatives of the same medicine is huge—up to 10-15 times.

"This service would help a patient choose the cheapest alternative available," an industry source said.

The government plans to cover at least two-thirds of the prescription market through this scheme, which would include all widely used therapies like anti-infectives, painkillers, respiratory and gastro-intestinal drugs.

There would, however, be riders. The government will set in filters where options may not be available. These would include cases where the person is suffering from serious ailments, and certain lifestyle diseases like diabetes where the medicine and dose vary according to the person's physiological conditions. Also, there could be riders specifying that the alternative offered has to be from large companies with a national presence.

Though consumers are price-sensitive, they may not be aware of cheaper options which exist for a particular drug. The SMS programme will arm the consumer with cheaper options.

Industry sources said the contract for managing the service has been allotted to a Delhi-based firm, and the model for operating the service is being finalized.

However, similar consumer initiatives of the government in the past have not met with much success. A few years ago, the government had launched a 24x7 helpline where a consumer could complain of being overcharged by a chemist. It also gave consumers information on essential medicines and their prices, besides helping them locate a cheaper generic version if an expensive, branded version had been prescribed.

 

[prasad1]

Here in USA, the health Insurance companies are forcing the "generic" version of the patented drug. But the doctor has to prescribe the generic version. Walmart and other pharmacies have program to provide you with 3 month supply of "generic" drug for as low as $10.00.
Of course the pharmaceutical companies cry, and pressurize the doctor to prescribe the patented drug.

 

[vgane]

I think if life saving drugs for diabetes, heart ailments, Cancer are made generic it will save millions of patients...It would go a long way in improving the health condition and increase the life span of the population..
We should support this initiative and make sure that the program becomes successful

 

[prasad1]

I think if life saving drugs for diabetes, heart ailments, Cancer are made generic it will save millions of patients...It would go a long way in improving the health condition and increase the life span of the population..
We should support this initiative and make sure that the program becomes successful

Every drug patent is issued for 20 years. Other companies can produce a similar drug after this period. In USA there is generic drug for most of the life saving drugs for chronic illness like blood pressure, diabetic, etc. Most of the generic drugs come from Indian drug companies (about 80%). So it must be available in India.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

There is always a half-hearted approach by the GOI. At the end of giving cheaper drug names, it says 'you better consult your doctor before using'? For doctors in India patient and drug manufacturer are like his two eyes. For GOI the drug manufacturer is more important. Business is what made by enterprising entrepreneurs. The idea is to prevent unhealthy trends. The GOI is asking the drug manufacturers not to give freebies to doctors. God save the patients, and the doctors, too. The drug manufacturer can save himself because he is enterprising!

 

[prasad1]

There is always a half-hearted approach by the GOI. At the end of giving cheaper drug names, it says 'you better consult your doctor before using'? For doctors in India patient and drug manufacturer are like his two eyes. For GOI the drug manufacturer is more important. Business is what made by enterprising entrepreneurs. The idea is to prevent unhealthy trends. The GOI is asking the drug manufacturers not to give freebies to doctors. God save the patients, and the doctors, too. The drug manufacturer can save himself because he is enterprising!

Mr. Iyya,
We live in worlds apart, so our approach is going to be different.
But don't you think you want GOI to come and cook your meals and clean your house too.
They have put out a bulletin, and assume that mature professionals (doctors) will do the right thing. I agree that there will be some doctors who are corrupt. Put your self as the PM (government), what will you do, and how will you do it?

If in some corner of India a villager is prescribed an expensive drug by a corrupt doctor, what will you do as PM? First of all how is PM supposed to know of the incident? Don't you think you ascribe more power to PM than even God? I think you will be disappointed with that kind of expectation. This post is an opinion of an outsider, may be I am not aware of the situation there.
So I am sorry if this logic does not apply to India.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

I agree that GOI will bring out laws and rules. If its duty ends there then it is a half-hearted approach. The problem is in the enforcement of laws. People on the street are clueless. Should they become doctors or law enforcing agents themselves? Most of the doctors are corrupt or they are not? But certainly they are not patient friendly. They appear to be less confident of themselves. Things may become right after sometime. But what about the patients now? Of course the government is scrupulously corrupt. So, maybe, the drug manufacturers are corrupt, the physicians are corrupt, the distributors and retailers are corrupt. All these conglomerates corrupt the man, his systems and ultimately his life, too. You will never know how much gold is there in this country. You will know neither how much we are corrupt. For enacting laws there is a system from base to parliament. But in enforcing those laws, government is alone. It seems it enjoys its monopoly!

 

[prasad1]

I agree that GOI will bring out laws and rules. If its duty ends there then it is a half-hearted approach. The problem is in the enforcement of laws. People on the street are clueless. Should they become doctors or law enforcing agents themselves? Most of the doctors are corrupt or they are not? But certainly they are not patient friendly. They appear to be less confident of themselves. Things may become right after sometime. But what about the patients now? Of course the government is scrupulously corrupt. So, maybe, the drug manufacturers are corrupt, the physicians are corrupt, the distributors and retailers are corrupt. All these conglomerates corrupt the man, his systems and ultimately his life, too. You will never know how much gold is there in this country. You will know neither how much we are corrupt. For enacting laws there is a system from base to parliament. But enacting those laws government is alone. It seems it enjoys its monopoly!

I can understand your frustration. I also can understand that you are helpless. The only possible way of rooting out corruption is change of heart at the grassroots level. You need a social change, not political change. Because change of political government only changes the actor and not the play.

But even in religion (Including sanatan Dharma) rules are laid out, you have to self police yourself. God or some deva is not coming down to enforce it. So if some one breaks a social law (constitution) then there is possible enforcement, but if it is a moral law and the law breaker is the local goonda, there is no recourse.

 

[Iyyarooraan]

I think (and I basically hold that opinion) that religion is exclusively for self; not for couple, family, community or society. If the individuals are ok the society will be ok. Thus religion cannot or rather should not play any role. Yes there must be social revolution. Husband should correct wife; wife her husband; both their children and so on. It should be top on the agenda. But I am afraid if the top item of the agenda is taken up for implementation, there will be chaos, turmoil,.... Might take India at least 2 centuries back.