Imagine choosing between two cups of chai – one from a trusted brand like Chaayos, and another from a local vendor offering the same taste at half the price. Tempting, right? But also risky? That’s exactly the kind of decision patients and doctors face with generic medicines in India. In this blog, I spoke to five doctors – from both government and private hospitals – and even had a quirky chat with a local quack (yes, our very own Bengali Babu) to uncover the real story behind branded vs. generic prescriptions. Plus, a look at how SayaCare is flipping the script on medicine access and trust.

With the patent period off for Empagliflozin, generic versions are expected, likely leading to increased access and lower prices.

दुनिया की फार्मेसी कहलाने के बावजूद, भारत की जमीनी हकीकत काफी गंभीर है Diabetes, High BP गुर्दे और गैस्ट्रिक समस्याओं जैसी आम पुरानी बीमारियों की दवाएँ लोगों की पहुँच से बाहर होती जा रही हैं। स्वास्थ्य सेवा खर्च का 90% तक हिस्सा दवाओं पर खर्च होता है, जिससे आउट ऑफ पॉकेट (OOP) खर्च भी बढ़ जाता है स्थिति इतनी गंभीर है कि कई लोगों को इलाज का खर्च उठाने के लिए कर्ज तक लेना पड़ता है

Life-saving drugs pass through multiple hands-suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, retailers-each adding their cut. The price shoots up, but that’s not the worst part. Every extra layer in this chain increases the risk of fake or expired medicines slipping through. 

With 20% of Indian medicines suspected to be counterfeit, the government mandated QR codes for 300 brands in 2022. But can they be easily bypassed?

Ever wondered why private hospital doctors prescribe expensive branded medicines instead of generics? Discover how medical representatives drive up your medicine costs in this blog.

Fake and spurious medicines are rapidly increasing in India, arising health concerns. Now the question is – should you trust the medicines you are buying?

Can Indian medicines really cure you? How much of Indian medicines are bad?

Have you ever wondered why people are so particular about the purity of their gold? They check for hallmarks, compare prices across jewelers, and ensure they are getting exactly what they pay for. But when it comes to medicines – something that impacts our health- we do not apply the same level of scrutiny. 

When Laxman was injured during the battle against Ravana, Lord Rama was informed that the Sanjeevani herb from the Himalayas could cure him. Lord Hanuman could not find the herb, so after fighting off Kalanemi, who had been sent by Ravana, he famously brought the whole mountain. Had Ravana changed his strategy and planted a poisonous/do-nothing look-alike herb in a visible place, then Hanuman and Laxman would be no different from the millions of Indians today who purchase/consume fake/substandard/adulterated medication.