John Wilbert
Port Blair, Dec 10: Recently Andaman Sheekha, Daily received several complaints regarding shortage of life saving drugs in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which reportedly left many patients in deep trouble.
Patients complained that in many cases life saving drugs, which are prescribed by Doctors are not available in Pharmacies of G B Pant and other hospitals.
When contacted by Andaman Sheekha the Director of Andaman’s Health Department Dr SP Burma claimed that there is no shortage of life saving drugs in Andaman. He said that presently some doctors are prescribing medicines in brand names, which are not available in Pharmacies of G B Pant or other Hospitals. However, he said that all the life saving drugs are available with DHS in Generic Name.
Internal sources told Andaman Sheekha that some Doctors, who are new to these Islands are prescribing life saving drugs with brand name which is creating confusion as those drugs are not available in Pharmacies, however, same drugs with generic names are available with DHS.
The DHS told Andaman Sheekha that he would be sending a notice to all Doctors to prescribe drugs only in generic name, which according to him will solve the problem.
Patients, who have already suffered due to this confusion, told Andaman Sheekha that these minor problems must be solved by the DHS internally, before it affect patients. In this case many patients have already suffered.
As per experts, Generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs that have exactly the same dosage, intended use, effects, side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original drug. In other words, their pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their brand-name counterparts. Cost is the main difference between generic and brand name prescription drugs.
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