Home   »   Current Affairs 2024   »   India’s Problem-Different Drugs, Identical Brand Names

Editorial of the Day (25th Jan): India’s Problem – Different Drugs, Identical Brand Names

Context: The issue of different drugs having identical or similar brand names in India is a significant problem that poses serious risks to patient safety.

Background

  • Different drugs with entirely different active ingredients and uses share identical or confusingly similar brand names in India. This poses a serious risk of patient harm due to medication errors.
  • Examples:
    • Linamac: ‘Linamac 5’ is used to treat multiple myeloma, which is a type of cancer, the other drug bearing the name ‘Linamac’ is a drug used to treat
    • Medzole: Used for a sedative, stomach acidity treatment, deworming, and antifungal medication.
    • Medpol, Medrol, Metrozole: Phonetically similar to Medzole, increasing confusion.
    • i-Pill and i-Pill Daily: The company that uses the brand name ‘I-Pill’ to sell an emergency contraceptive (ECP), uses the brand name ‘i-Pill Daily’ as a daily contraceptive pill.

We’re now on WhatsAppClick to Join

Factors Increasing Risk

  • Data Deficiency in Prescription Errors: In India, there is an absence of systematic data collection on prescription errors which hinders the understanding of the problem’s magnitude and challenges the development of impactful solutions.
  • Regulatory Shortcomings in Pharmacies: A significant number of pharmacies in India distribute medications without the necessary prescriptions and lack stringent regulatory oversight.
  • Language Hurdle in Drug Labelling: The majority of drug labels and packaging in India are in English, a language spoken by a minority (under 10%) of the population which adds complexity for numerous patients in correctly understanding medication information.

Judicial Interventions

  • Ruling by the Supreme Court of India (2001) And 59th report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare: The Supreme Court, in the case between Cadila HealthCare Ltd. and Cadila Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and also report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee , highlighted the importance of having unique names for drugs.
    • It recommended that the Ministry of Health take steps to avoid the confusion caused by drugs with similar names.
  • Intervention by the Delhi High Court (2019): In a notable case involving pharmaceutical trademark infringement, Justice Pratibha M. Singh underscored the critical nature of the issue.
    • Her involvement brought heightened attention and urged regulatory authorities to tackle the ongoing problem of drug name confusion more effectively.
  • Drugs and Cosmetics (Thirteenth Amendment) Rules, 2019: Companies self-certify non-confusing names during licence applications.
    • Required searches for similar names in limited databases.
    • Flaws in the Approach:
      • Self-certification ineffective (existing name confusion evident).
      • No national database of drug names – makes thorough searches impossible.
      • Collecting data from 36 diverse drug controllers is a logistical hurdle.

Suggestive Measures

  • Build a national database of all pharmaceutical brand names.
  • Adopt mechanisms like those in the US and Europe for naming drugs to avoid confusion.
  • Establish a dedicated division within the drug regulator to oversee drug names.
  • Collect data on prescription errors to quantify the problem.

Sharing is caring!

About the Author

I, Sakshi Gupta, am a content writer to empower students aiming for UPSC, PSC, and other competitive exams. My objective is to provide clear, concise, and informative content that caters to your exam preparation needs. I strive to make my content not only informative but also engaging, keeping you motivated throughout your journey!

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *