Why do the doctors in India write the brand name instead of the generic medicine name?

Most of the times, doctors prescribe branded drugs or drug which is available near to their clinics. But here a question arises why doctors don’t specify it? Why patient has to ask for it?

Many people say that doctors seek to commission, and that is why they never prescribed low prices or generic drugs or even give a piece of advice for it. Also, it is said that doctors’ are not prescribing it mostly because generic medications are government supply, and doctors do not get any benefit or income for prescribing it. However, it is patients’ duty, too, to ask for a low price or generic drugs to doctors.

But the question is, is this the only reason for not prescribing generic medicine? Well, the answer is diplomatic.

All doctors are not the same. Some are in favor of generic drugs, and so prescribe it. However, others do not prescribe it because they have tie-ups with a pharmacy or some pharmacy companies, or sometimes they have their relatives who run a pharmacy.

  • But other than the commission, certain doctors believe that generic drugs are not efficient enough to cure symptoms in a few days. Every doctor wants to treat patients as fast as possible because the faster the result, the more reliable doctor is!

  • Another reason is its availability. Many pharmacies, in India, do not keep generic medicine, and for patients, then it becomes tough to find out at different shops. However, now the government has passed an order to supply generic drugs not only on local pharmacy shops but also in online shops.

  • Also, most of the pharmacy shops have salespeople who sell their brand medicine under the supervision of a pharmacist. They have no idea about generic drugs, so refuse to give, and patients have to go to other shops to get one medicine, which becomes tedious for them. Then next time, they request doctors to provide readily available medication.

  • Lastly, in India, branded medicines are well known than generic ones. As branded drugs are more common amongst people, they do not know generic ones, so they also doubt doctors when unfamiliar conventional medicines are prescribed. For example, Everyone knows Crocin is for fever/pain, and it is a branded one. Still, when someone or doctor told them to take Paracetamol, they doubt whether this medicine will cure pain or not as they don’t know that Paracetamol is the generic name of Crocin. So lack of awareness  or knowledge is another reason for doctors to provide branded medicines to get a patient’s trust.