Indonesia raises generics' prices 15%

Indonesia is increasing generic drug prices 15% from April, in line withthe rise in the cost of pharmaceutical raw materials and fuel prices, and also because of the fall in government subsidy, the head of the country's Food and Drug Control Agency has announced.

In 1999, this subsidy had been 168 billion rupiah ($16.1 million), compared with 105 billion rupiah last year, said Mr Sampurno, adding that the government had not increased the prices of generics, which are 40%-80% cheaper than proprietary drugs, for the last five years. "I call on patients to continue asking doctors to prescribe generic drugs," he said, as these are cheaper while their contents are "basically the same."

The Indonesian Consumers' Foundation has said that it regrets the price rise, reports the Marketletter's local correspondent. Mr Sampurno also said that Indonesia has sufficient drug stocks for this year.