By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 15, 2018: Patients in the twin city of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack has something to cheer about with Utkal Chemists & Druggists Association (UCDA), the state branch of the All Indian Organization of Chemists & Druggists (AIOCD) announcing availability of generic versions of the pharmaceutical products in the medical shops.

To begin with, retail shops in the twin cities will introduce the new reform later this month, general secretary of the Cuttack district committee, Prasanta Mohapatra said adding that in another three to six months all the shops in the entire state will set up separate shelves for generic medicines.

In fact, according to UCDA, the chemist shops have already begun segregating generic versions of the pharmaceutical products into special racks in compliance with the directions of the central and state drug regulators.

There are more than 17,000 medical stores in Odisha and all the stores will have a separate area for generic medicines in all the licensed premises in the state.

The Drugs Controller General of India on June 12 issued a circular to all the state Drug Controllers asking them to direct all the retail shops in the country to separate generic medicines from other categories of drugs and keep them in a special shelf primarily aimed to promote generic medicines.