IDMA to discuss issues raised by IMA over generic drugs at its EC meeting in Chennai on Aug 26

August 25, 2023

The national executive committee meeting of the Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) slated for the 26th of this month in Chennai is likely to discuss the concerns raised by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) over the mandate given by the National Medical Commission to prescribe only generic medicines by doctors.

The Ethics and Medical Registration Board (EMRB) of the NMC issued one notification on August 2 mandating prescription of generic drugs. Concerned over the notification, the IMA, on August 14, issued one press release and wanted the NMC to postpone the decision and leave it for wider consultations. The medical practitioners association has also wanted the intervention of the government in this matter.  

However, the drug manufacturers’ body, IDMA, has so far not responded to the issues, but set it aside as an agenda to be discussed in the EC meeting of the association on 26th. The EC meeting will be held at Hotel Trident in Chennai from 3 pm onwards. Followed by it, the annual general body meeting of the Tamil Nadu state board of the IDMA will be held.
 
The past national president of the IDMA and chairman of the Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), Dr SV Veeramani, said the issue of generic drug prescription is a crucial subject for the manufacturers to discuss in the meeting, so it will be a part of the agenda. He said the manufacturers are happy to give generic medicines to the patients at reasonable prices, but the quality of the branded medicines and the confidence of the patients on brands are always a factor to be considered. According to him, the people in general believe in brands, not only on medicines, but on all other commodities, medicines have no exception.   

The chairman of the TN IDMA J Jayaseelan said 18 drug manufacturers of major companies from various states in India will take part in the EC meeting of the IDMA in Chennai on August 26. Simultaneously, the executive committee of the TN state board of the IDMA will also be held, in which 25 members from various companies from Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kerala will participate. The AGM of the TN IDMA will start at 7 pm, which will be attended by the national EC members also.  
 
The AGM will start with a welcome and felicitation address by Dr. SV Veeramani, past national president of the IDMA. Followed by it, Dr. Viranchi Shah, national president of the IDMA will deliver a talk on ‘Latest Development in Indian Pharmaceutical Industry.” The director of the Inga Laboratories in Mumbai, Dr. George A Patel will talk on ‘How Pharma SMEs can get into Research’, and Dr Sanjay Mitra, managing director of SMSRC in Kolkata will deliver on the subject, ‘Way Forward for Pharma SMEs in Marketing’.
 
In the beginning of the AGM, the honorary secretary of the TN IDMA, Dr. T Sathish will present the annual report for the year 2022-23. The AGM will also appoint new auditors for the association for the next two years. 

PHARMABIZ.com