Aasandha will no longer accept alternate brands of medicines as replacements for those prescribed by doctors.
In a circular sent to Aasandha service centers, Aasandha said any medicines other than the specific brand requested by the doctor will be rejected from the 17th of this month.
Aasandha said doctors who wish to prescribe a particular brand of medicine must specify "Do Not Substitute" on the prescription. Additionally, if a doctor specifies a particular medicine for a patient, pharmacies are instructed not to substitute it with any other brands.
In case the medicines in the prescription cannot be dispensed, the pharmacies must inform the patient. If a medicine on the prescription is unavailable in pharmacies, patients are instructed to go to their doctor and change the brand of the medicine prescribed.
The circular further said if the prescription does not specify a specific brand of medicine, the pharmacy should bill the patient for the brand dispensed.
