Drugs via SMS: Govt fights for cheaper healthcare

The Indian government is opening up a new front in it its battle against high-priced drugs by the so-called Big Pharma.

A report in the Times of India says the government plans to launch in August an SMS service by which consumers can get information on cheaper versions of the pricey drugs prescribed by their doctors.

The move is laudable. And comes close on the heels of media reports that the government is planning to give free medicines and legally restrict doctors from prescribing branded drugs, a move aimed at helping millions to gain access to cheap healthcare.

According to the ToI report, if a patient gets a pricey drug prescribed, he can SMS the name of the drug to a particular number. In reply, he will get cheaper options of the same combination drug. However, he should not start taking the drug without discussing with his doctor, the report said.

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[caption id=“attachment_379716” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  While sms might be the most powerful way to advance cheap medicines, there are also risks. Reuters[/caption]

Considering the huge price differential between a branded drug and its generic, the plan in all likelihood will be of help to general public and has the potential to become a major hit among the masses.

The government has also reportedly given a contract to a Delhi-based firm to manage the service.

But the scheme is not devoid of dangers as the government is dealing with the health of millions and not all cheap drugs are safe. There has to be restriction as to which are the companies that can be brought under the plan. The selection has to be transparent.

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And moreover, one has to wait and watch how the plan is going to work in practice as it is being rolled out in a huge medicine market of about $12 billion. With the number of mobile phone users rising (now there are nearly 100 crore mobile phone subscribers) as also the cost of safe healthcare, handling huge traffic is not going to be easy.

However, the plan is taking the fight for cheaper healthcare forward.

A Reuters report had earlier said the government’s plan to offer free drug and restrict doctors from prescribing branded drug is cutting the innovator drug companies out.

The government even has plans to punish the doctors who prescribe branded drugs.

India had last year provided compulsory licence to Natco Pharma to produce a cheaper version of Nexavar, an expensive cancer drug from Bayer AG.

Compulsory licence allows Natco to make the cheaper version of the much-sought medicine, which is not yet off patent.

The US has threatened to take India to WTO for violation of trading treaties.