Representative image
NEW DELHI: In a move aimed at improving patient safety, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has proposed restricting the use of the same brand name for medicines containing different active ingredients, saying the practice can mislead patients and create confusion over their therapeutic use. The regulator has invited public comments on the proposal till July 17.The proposal follows representations alleging that some pharmaceutical companies are marketing medicines with different active pharmaceutical ingredients under the same established brand name. The issue was examined by the Drugs Consultative Committee (DCC), which recommended wider stakeholder consultation before a final decision is taken.According to the CDSCO notice, the DCC observed that using the same brand name for medicines with different active ingredients could mislead consumers and create confusion regarding their therapeutic use. The regulator has uploaded the committee’s recommendations on its website and invited comments from industry, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders.”The CDSCO consultation is an important patient-safety initiative. While umbrella branding helps companies build recognition, the greatest concern is when the same root brand name is used for medicines with different active ingredients or fixed-dose combinations, as this can lead to prescribing, dispensing and patient errors,” said Dr Neeraj Nischal, Professor, Department of Medicine, AIIMS.He said umbrella branding is generally acceptable when products contain the same active ingredient, such as different strengths, formulations or dosage forms, but extending the same parent brand to unrelated medicines increases the risk of medication errors.”A brand name should represent a specific medicine, not a family of unrelated drugs. Using the same parent brand for medicines with different active ingredients can confuse patients and healthcare professionals, increasing the risk of medication errors. Any regulatory change should be implemented in a phased manner after adequate stakeholder consultation,” said Dr Rommel Tickoo, Director, Internal Medicine, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket.If implemented, the proposal could require several pharmaceutical companies to revisit branding strategies for products marketed across different therapeutic categories under a common parent brand.
