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"Some doctors are hand-in-glove with private chemists and insisting patients to buy medicines from those shops which give them commission. Rarely doctors prescribe generic medicines," Krushna Chandra Sahu, a social activist, said.
The generic store has 61 medicines which are as good as that manuactured by top pharmaceutical companies, a health department official said.
"Despite directions to prescribe generic medicines, doctors are not follwing them citing non-availability of drugs at the generic medicine store", he added.
The store was inaugurated on September 15 last year with the help of Pharma Central Public Sector Units in collaboration with health and family welfare department. The store is managed by the Red Cross.
"I had expected to get quality medicines at a cheaper price. But as doctors are not prescribing generic medicines I am forced to buy prescribed medicines from private chemists at a premium," said Priya Ranjan Panigrahi, an advocate.
Some alleged that patients do not prefer visiting the generic medicine store due to non-availability of most drugs, prescribed by doctors.
"The allegation is not true. Several medicines like antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, cough syrup and pain-killers, among others, are available at the shop but we get very few prescriptions," said Hemant Patro, a staff of the generic medicine store.
"Another 29 different items of medicines will be available in the store very soon", he added.
Sub-divisional medical officer (Jeypore) D B Tripathy said, "The allegation that doctors are discouraging patients from buying generic drugs is not true. However, I will look into the matter."
