AUGUST 21 — I refer to the article “Manufacturers challenge to prove generics sometimes don’t work” which appeared today.
It is apparent that the Malaysian Organisation of Pharmaceutical Industries (MOPI) president has ignored the context in which my statement was made in the article “Doctors want more transparency in branded drugs prescription at public hospitals”
This is to place on record that I had never cast aspersions on the Drug Control Authority; neither had I attempted to generate fear about generics among patients as claimed by the MOPI president.
All that I had stated was that sometimes generics do not work in some cases. That Ministry of Health doctors prescribe branded medicines in such instances speak for itself.
The MOPI president should inform the medical profession and the public if and when there are generics for all branded medicines.
If he can do so, he can count on my support for an all generics policy.
Until then, he is well advised not to over-react and issue unwarranted challenges.
*Dr Milton Lum is a past president of the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA).
**This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail Online.
