Doctors should prescribe generic medicines to help poor people, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar said on Sunday.
“Except for complicated disease where there is need for specific formulas, for other ailments the use of generic medicine should be encouraged,” Javadekar said speaking on the occasion of the third Jan Aushadhi Diwas in Pune, where he announced to start a campaign for doctors to popularise the use of generic medicine in the country.
Javadekar visited a Pradhanmantri Bhartiya Jan Aushdhi Kendra in Kothrud, Pune and attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s live telecast interaction from Shillong.
He also interacted with the doctors and beneficiaries at the centre.
Javadekar said that PM Modi has launched the world's biggest Health Insurance scheme which is helping 50 crore Indians.
“The cost of medicines at these Jan Aushadhi stores is 60 to 70 per cent cheaper than market price. The prices of over 500 medicines have been reduced,” he said.