Department of Health encourages use of generic medicines

Abu Dhabi: The Department of Health in Abu Dhabi has introduced a new mechanism to mandate dispensing of generic medicines for patients as prescribed by doctors and covered by health insurance.

To that end, it has developed reference reimbursement prices. This will allow patients to choose between brand name or generic medicine, and they will get their choice by paying the difference in price between the reference price and the price of selected medicine, either brand or generic . Single source medicines and narrow therapeutic window medicines shall be excluded from the formulary list.

The new mechanism comes into effect from September 1.