Info drive on generic drugs sought

A Quezon City councilor wants a massive and broader information drive on generic drugs to educate the public. Second District Councilor Victor Ferrer Jr. noted that the poor and underprivileged members of the society have not fully taken advantage of the benefits of the Generic Drugs Act and Cheaper Medicines Act. Based on personal experience, Ferrer said that people lining up for medical assistance in his office showed disdain when it was suggested that they purchase generic medicines instead of the branded ones. He said that it has been a common belief among the poor that generic medicines, although cheaper, are less effective than the labeled ones sold in big drugstores. Ferrer said that a massive information dissemination campaign will help boost public awareness on the quality of generic medicines. "My office has always supported the use of generic medicines due to its supreme quality and low price but some of my constituents insist on being provided with branded medicines which they believed is more potent,’’ Ferrer said. In a recent study of the Department of Health (DOH) and the Philippine Institute of Development Studies (PIDS), the agencies found that there was a low awareness of the law. The study found that government physicians have a positive influence on the use of generics because they are required by law to write prescriptions using generic names. However, private physicians, who have an option to write in brand names in addition to generic names, seem to contribute to the generic medicines’ image of poor quality, especially among higher social classes. To correct consumer perception on the quality of generic drugs, the study said information on why and how drug prices were reduced should be provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), to address quality and efficacy issues. Ferrer has supported the move of the DOH and the PIDS that would compel the national government and the local government units (LGU) in coming up with a vigorous campaign that will provide greater public acceptance of generic medicines.//