What Doctors Consider When Prescribing
The primary concern for every doctor is ensuring the patient's illness is treated or controlled
as quickly as possible. Naturally, the quality of the medicines prescribed is critical. No doctor
would willingly prolong a patient's suffering. Contrary to popular belief, financial incentives
are not the priority. For doctors, a patient's positive feedback and trust serve as their most
valuable endorsement, something no ethical professional would compromise.
Evaluating Medicine Quality
Doctors typically cannot personally test the quality of medicines in their labs. As a result,
they rely on trusted brands with a proven track record in the market. Reputable companies
take extensive measures to ensure the quality of their drugs because their survival depends on
the trust placed in them by doctors.
Doctors are sometimes invited to visit the manufacturing plants of these companies to assess
the standards. Agencies certify the quality of these companies based on raw materials,
purification stages, packaging, and storage conditions. Naturally, such rigorous processes
result in higher costs for these medicines. Conversely, medicines manufactured with less
stringent standards might be cheaper but could compromise on quality.
Renowned companies often do not need to offer commissions to doctors to sustain their
market share. Their established reputation is their strength. Any discounts hospitals or clinics
receive when purchasing medicines typically come from marginal reductions in the
Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or free samples for bulk orders, which are modest compared to
less reputable brands.
The Generic Medicine Dilemma
This context explains why doctors sometimes prefer branded medicines over generics. Take
paracetamol, for example. Numerous companies sell it under various names like Dolo,
Panadol, Adol, Calpol, and Vamol. Writing a brand name ensures that the pharmacist
provides the exact brand prescribed. If substitution occurs, pharmacists are obliged to inform
the patient and seek the doctor’s approval.
However, if a doctor writes only "paracetamol," the choice of brand rests entirely with the
pharmacist. They might prioritize brands offering better margins or incentives, potentially
compromising on quality. This uncertainty regarding quality is the main reason doctors
hesitate to prescribe generic medicines, not resistance to the idea itself. Unfortunately,
doctors often face baseless accusations of seeking commissions instead.

One of the pressing questions often raised is whether the prices charged by reputed
pharmaceutical companies are excessively high. Unfortunately, doctors find themselves
powerless in this regard. There is an urgent need for a regulatory framework to evaluate and
control the manufacturing costs and profit margins of medicines. This is something every
doctor would support because no doctor wishes to see their patient distressed or disheartened
upon encountering exorbitant bills for their treatment.
Quality of Medicines from Lesser-Known Brands
Does this mean that medicines from lesser-known brands are always of inferior quality? Not
necessarily. They might be good or bad. Let’s consider the analogy of buying a television. If
you’re purchasing a TV, you’d likely go to the showroom of a trusted brand instead of buying
it off the street, even if it’s offered at the same or a lower price. This hesitation stems from
our natural preference for reliability, even if the street-sold TV claims to be genuine. The
same psychology applies when prescribing medicines from established pharmaceutical
companies.
Balancing Quality and Cost
For short-term treatments, the primary focus of doctors is on the quality of the medicine.
However, in cases requiring long-term medication, compromises sometimes become
unavoidable due to cost considerations. This is especially true in healthcare settings catering
to economically disadvantaged patients.
In corporate hospitals, where patients generally belong to higher income groups, the cost of
medicines might not be a concern. However, in public or rural hospitals, the price difference
between two brands, even as little as ?2-?3 per tablet, can have a significant impact over
prolonged use. Doctors often find themselves compelled to prescribe the less expensive
option to ensure affordability.
The financial burden is stark when patients question the price of even these less expensive
options, leaving doctors to prioritize continuity of treatment over absolute efficacy. In such
scenarios, they may advise patients to stick to a slightly less effective but affordable
medication rather than discontinuing treatment altogether.
Why Do Some Medicines Cost So Much?
Many newly introduced medicines are the result of years of extensive and expensive research,
often costing billions. Companies strive to recover these costs once the drug is brought to
market. New drugs are typically granted a patent for a specific period, during which no other
company can manufacture or sell the same drug. Naturally, these drugs are priced higher
during this exclusivity period.
Once the patent expires, other manufacturers can enter the market, leading to competition that
eventually drives prices down. A recent example is the diabetes drug sitagliptin. Initially
introduced by Merck, its high price was challenged when Glenmark launched a lower-priced
version. However, a legal battle ensued, and Merck successfully defended its patent, forcing
Glenmark to withdraw its product from the market.

The Need for Regulation
These scenarios highlight the urgent need for mechanisms to regulate drug pricing.
Transparent policies ensuring fair pricing while maintaining quality would benefit both
patients and doctors. Until then, doctors must navigate these challenges, balancing their
commitment to effective treatment with the affordability of medicines for their

What Doctors Consider When Prescribing
The primary concern for every doctor is ensuring the patient's illness is treated or controlled
as quickly as possible. Naturally, the quality of the medicines prescribed is critical. No doctor
would willingly prolong a patient's suffering. Contrary to popular belief, financial incentives
are not the priority. For doctors, a patient's positive feedback and trust serve as their most
valuable endorsement, something no ethical professional would compromise.
Evaluating Medicine Quality
Doctors typically cannot personally test the quality of medicines in their labs. As a result,
they rely on trusted brands with a proven track record in the market. Reputable companies
take extensive measures to ensure the quality of their drugs because their survival depends on
the trust placed in them by doctors.
Doctors are sometimes invited to visit the manufacturing plants of these companies to assess
the standards. Agencies certify the quality of these companies based on raw materials,
purification stages, packaging, and storage conditions. Naturally, such rigorous processes
result in higher costs for these medicines. Conversely, medicines manufactured with less
stringent standards might be cheaper but could compromise on quality.
Renowned companies often do not need to offer commissions to doctors to sustain their
market share. Their established reputation is their strength. Any discounts hospitals or clinics
receive when purchasing medicines typically come from marginal reductions in the
Maximum Retail Price (MRP) or free samples for bulk orders, which are modest compared to
less reputable brands.
The Generic Medicine Dilemma
This context explains why doctors sometimes prefer branded medicines over generics. Take
paracetamol, for example. Numerous companies sell it under various names like Dolo,
Panadol, Adol, Calpol, and Vamol. Writing a brand name ensures that the pharmacist
provides the exact brand prescribed. If substitution occurs, pharmacists are obliged to inform
the patient and seek the doctor’s approval.
However, if a doctor writes only "paracetamol," the choice of brand rests entirely with the
pharmacist. They might prioritize brands offering better margins or incentives, potentially
compromising on quality. This uncertainty regarding quality is the main reason doctors
hesitate to prescribe generic medicines, not resistance to the idea itself. Unfortunately,
doctors often face baseless accusations of seeking commissions instead.

One of the pressing questions often raised is whether the prices charged by reputed
pharmaceutical companies are excessively high. Unfortunately, doctors find themselves
powerless in this regard. There is an urgent need for a regulatory framework to evaluate and
control the manufacturing costs and profit margins of medicines. This is something every
doctor would support because no doctor wishes to see their patient distressed or disheartened
upon encountering exorbitant bills for their treatment.
Quality of Medicines from Lesser-Known Brands
Does this mean that medicines from lesser-known brands are always of inferior quality? Not
necessarily. They might be good or bad. Let’s consider the analogy of buying a television. If
you’re purchasing a TV, you’d likely go to the showroom of a trusted brand instead of buying
it off the street, even if it’s offered at the same or a lower price. This hesitation stems from
our natural preference for reliability, even if the street-sold TV claims to be genuine. The
same psychology applies when prescribing medicines from established pharmaceutical
companies.
Balancing Quality and Cost
For short-term treatments, the primary focus of doctors is on the quality of the medicine.
However, in cases requiring long-term medication, compromises sometimes become
unavoidable due to cost considerations. This is especially true in healthcare settings catering
to economically disadvantaged patients.
In corporate hospitals, where patients generally belong to higher income groups, the cost of
medicines might not be a concern. However, in public or rural hospitals, the price difference
between two brands, even as little as ?2-?3 per tablet, can have a significant impact over
prolonged use. Doctors often find themselves compelled to prescribe the less expensive
option to ensure affordability.
The financial burden is stark when patients question the price of even these less expensive
options, leaving doctors to prioritize continuity of treatment over absolute efficacy. In such
scenarios, they may advise patients to stick to a slightly less effective but affordable
medication rather than discontinuing treatment altogether.
Why Do Some Medicines Cost So Much?
Many newly introduced medicines are the result of years of extensive and expensive research,
often costing billions. Companies strive to recover these costs once the drug is brought to
market. New drugs are typically granted a patent for a specific period, during which no other
company can manufacture or sell the same drug. Naturally, these drugs are priced higher
during this exclusivity period.
Once the patent expires, other manufacturers can enter the market, leading to competition that
eventually drives prices down. A recent example is the diabetes drug sitagliptin. Initially
introduced by Merck, its high price was challenged when Glenmark launched a lower-priced
version. However, a legal battle ensued, and Merck successfully defended its patent, forcing
Glenmark to withdraw its product from the market.

The Need for Regulation
These scenarios highlight the urgent need for mechanisms to regulate drug pricing.
Transparent policies ensuring fair pricing while maintaining quality would benefit both
patients and doctors. Until then, doctors must navigate these challenges, balancing their
commitment to effective treatment with the affordability of medicines for their

Quality of Medicines from Lesser-Known Brands
Does this mean that medicines from lesser-known brands are always of inferior quality? Not necessarily. They might be good or bad. Let’s consider the analogy of buying a television. If you’re purchasing a TV, you’d likely go to the showroom of a trusted brand instead of buying it off the street, even if it’s offered at the same or a lower price. This hesitation stems from our natural preference for reliability, even if the street-sold TV claims to be genuine. The same psychology applies when prescribing medicines from established pharmaceutical companies.
Balancing Quality and Cost
For short-term treatments, the primary focus of doctors is on the quality of the medicine. However, in cases requiring long-term medication, compromises sometimes become unavoidable due to cost considerations. This is especially true in healthcare settings catering to economically disadvantaged patients.
In corporate hospitals, where patients generally belong to higher income groups, the cost of medicines might not be a concern. However, in public or rural hospitals, the price difference between two brands, even as little as ?2-?3 per tablet, can have a significant impact over prolonged use. Doctors often find themselves compelled to prescribe the less expensive option to ensure affordability.
The financial burden is stark when patients question the price of even these less expensive options, leaving doctors to prioritize continuity of treatment over absolute efficacy. In such scenarios, they may advise patients to stick to a slightly less effective but affordable medication rather than discontinuing treatment altogether.
Why Do Some Medicines Cost So Much?
Many newly introduced medicines are the result of years of extensive and expensive research, often costing billions. Companies strive to recover these costs once the drug is brought to market. New drugs are typically granted a patent for a specific period, during which no other company can manufacture or sell the same drug. Naturally, these drugs are priced higher during this exclusivity period.
Once the patent expires, other manufacturers can enter the market, leading to competition that eventually drives prices down. A recent example is the diabetes drug sitagliptin. Initially introduced by Merck, its high price was challenged when Glenmark launched a lower-priced version. However, a legal battle ensued, and Merck successfully defended its patent, forcing Glenmark to withdraw its product from the market.
The Need for Regulation
These scenarios highlight the urgent need for mechanisms to regulate drug pricing. Transparent policies ensuring fair pricing while maintaining quality would benefit both patients and doctors. Until then, doctors must navigate these challenges, balancing their commitment to effective treatment with the affordability of medicines for their patients.

Quality of Medicines from Lesser-Known Brands
Does this mean that medicines from lesser-known brands are always of inferior quality? Not necessarily. They might be good or bad. Let’s consider the analogy of buying a television. If you’re purchasing a TV, you’d likely go to the showroom of a trusted brand instead of buying it off the street, even if it’s offered at the same or a lower price. This hesitation stems from our natural preference for reliability, even if the street-sold TV claims to be genuine. The same psychology applies when prescribing medicines from established pharmaceutical companies.
Balancing Quality and Cost
For short-term treatments, the primary focus of doctors is on the quality of the medicine. However, in cases requiring long-term medication, compromises sometimes become unavoidable due to cost considerations. This is especially true in healthcare settings catering to economically disadvantaged patients.
In corporate hospitals, where patients generally belong to higher income groups, the cost of medicines might not be a concern. However, in public or rural hospitals, the price difference between two brands, even as little as ?2-?3 per tablet, can have a significant impact over prolonged use. Doctors often find themselves compelled to prescribe the less expensive option to ensure affordability.
The financial burden is stark when patients question the price of even these less expensive options, leaving doctors to prioritize continuity of treatment over absolute efficacy. In such scenarios, they may advise patients to stick to a slightly less effective but affordable medication rather than discontinuing treatment altogether.
Why Do Some Medicines Cost So Much?
Many newly introduced medicines are the result of years of extensive and expensive research, often costing billions. Companies strive to recover these costs once the drug is brought to market. New drugs are typically granted a patent for a specific period, during which no other company can manufacture or sell the same drug. Naturally, these drugs are priced higher during this exclusivity period.
Once the patent expires, other manufacturers can enter the market, leading to competition that eventually drives prices down. A recent example is the diabetes drug sitagliptin. Initially introduced by Merck, its high price was challenged when Glenmark launched a lower-priced version. However, a legal battle ensued, and Merck successfully defended its patent, forcing Glenmark to withdraw its product from the market.
The Need for Regulation
These scenarios highlight the urgent need for mechanisms to regulate drug pricing. Transparent policies ensuring fair pricing while maintaining quality would benefit both patients and doctors. Until then, doctors must navigate these challenges, balancing their commitment to effective treatment with the affordability of medicines for their patients.