Experts: Generic drug alternatives must be made an option (Poll Inside)

PETALING JAYA: In order to enhance patients’ access to more cost-effective medications, it is necessary for doctors to issue prescriptions and allow generic substitution, say experts.

Federation of Asian Pharmaceutical Associations vice-president Jack Shen Lim said such a move will give patients and consumers the choice of whether to take the medication from the doctor or go to a pharmacy.

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“With generic substitution (for off-patent medicines), the patient also has a choice: to pay more for the branded drug or a cheaper generic medicine.

“Prescriptions will give the people the power of choice, which is a mechanism practised in most countries around the world.

“In addition, pharmacies could recommend generic medications, which are cheaper than branded options,” he said, adding this would allow consumers to compare prices.

He said this in response after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said medicine prices must be made more transparent so people will know what they can afford.

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After the National Action Council on Cost of Living (Naccol) Committee meeting on Tuesday, Anwar said the government was aware of the importance of the public having access to competitively priced medicines.

Lim acknowledged that there has been an increase in the price of medicines due to the ringgit exchange rate.

He said having listed recommended medications would allow access to cheaper medicines for patients.

National Cancer Society of Malaysia (NCSM) managing director Dr M. Murallitharan said currently, the matter of pricing is rarely visible to the user.

He said if prices were made transparent, patients would have the ability to choose the medications based on their requirements and affordability.

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He said, however, that the situation would be different when it came to the specific drugs involved, as for example if there was only one type of drug available, even with price transparency, the move would seem pointless.

Public health expert Datuk Dr Zainal Ariffin Omar, meanwhile, said the government could help by making it known to the public the recommended price of the drugs, especially among the common brands or generic ones.

“There should be mandatory drug price listing and display at the pharmacies and general practitioners’ (GPs) clinics.

“This should include mandatory printed receipts that show the prices of medicines issued by pharmacies and GP clinics as well as hospitals.

“Furthermore, the government should provide a mechanism for public enquiry and complaints about this issue,” he said.

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Since the pandemic, the public has raised concerns over the shortage in the supply of some medications and the increase in pricing.

Stakeholders had said that the issue of medicine shortages was a global phenomenon due to gaps in the supply chain.

Recently, the Health Ministry gave a public reassurance that it was not solely dependent on Pharmaniaga Bhd to ensure an uninterrupted supply of medicine to health facilities in the country.