New generic medicine mechanism takes effect tomorrow
System in Abu Dhabi aims to enhance health care sector’s sustainability
The Department of Health — Abu Dhabi (DoH) will begin the preliminary stage of implementing the generic medicine mechanism starting tomorrow.
The new mechanism aims to enhance the health care sector’s sustainability and ensure members of the community have continuous access to the highest quality of health care services.
Generic medicines have the same dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, and performance characteristics as brand-name medicines.
They work the same way and provide the same clinical benefits and outcomes that are bioequivalent to their brand-name counterparts.
As per the circular US/27/18 published on July 23, for regulating the dispensing of generic medicines, the DoH encourages health care facilities to start offering more generic medicine options to provide patients with better value for money.
Under the new mechanism, the DoH has set a reference price for drug categories with an equivalent generic substitute, whereas reference prices have not been listed for drugs with no generic substitute. Patients who wish to claim medications with a higher value than those listed on the reference price list will be required to pay the difference.
Commenting on the announcement, Mohammad Al Hajj, Director of the Health System Financing Division at the DoH, said: “We have looked at the successful application of similar generic medicine policies in other countries worldwide. We worked alongside our strategic partners in both the public and private health care sectors in Abu Dhabi to involve them in the development process and the gradual application of the mechanism to ensure the health care system is well aligned to further deliver exceptional care services in Abu Dhabi.”
He added that many countries worldwide have successfully encouraged the use of generic medicines over brand medicines.
In Germany, for example, 80 per cent of prescribed drugs are generic, whereas, in the UK, 78 per cent of prescribed drugs are generic.
In turn, Dr Khalid Al Jaberi, director of the Healthcare Licencing and Medical Education Division at DoH, explained: “The DoH monitors and regulates the medication options available in the market to ensure their effectiveness and quality. The DoH and the Ministry of Health and Prevention follow stringent drug licencing policies and procedures for generic medicine before launching them in the market.
“This ensures pharmaceutical companies adhere to the highest standards of manufacturing that follow standard dosages and contain active ingredients with the same medical usages and quality as brand medicines.
“At the same time, patients are welcome to provide their suggestions and complaints on available drugs that are deemed ineffective,” Dr Al Jaberi said.