The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, has requested a strategic policy for prescribing and dispensing pharmaceuticals in order to promote local brands.
Mr Adewale Oladigbolu, the association’s National Chairman, made the plea while addressing with journalists in Lagos on Monday.
Oladigbolu asked with the doctors to provide medications under their generic names rather than branded.
“Why should physicians be prescribing Augmentin when we know that there are hundreds of similar products with the same efficacy available in the market registered by NAFDAC?
“If a physician writes Amoxicillin clavulanate capsule which is the generic name for Augmentin, the pharmacist can prescribe any available drug in the category,” he said.
Oladigbolu advised companies to give prior notice to NAFDAC on the exit of pharmaceutical companies and its impact on drugs, both in price and availability.
He explained that regulations are in place to ensure that companies that intend to exit notify the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to protect shareholders.
According to him, similar regulations should be introduced and implemented through NAFDAC to ensure medicine availability and protect patient’s safety.
“The company must file an exit application with NAFDAC indicating details of the products being manufactured, and state how to sustain the availability of such products in the market, ” he said.