Medicine and Drug Labels - A Corporate or Consumer Issue

The Minister of Health has recently issued Regulation No. 524/MENKES/Per/IV/2005 on the Amendment to Regulation No. 988/MENKES/SK/VIII/2004 on the Affixation of Generic Names to Medicine Labels in the framework of protecting citizens from incorrectly labeled medicines and drugs. This Regulation has generated considerable controversy within the pharmaceutical community over the practicality of the labeling system and the increased costs that will be involved to comply with the new provisions as well as losses that will stem from the destruction of medicines already produced but do not comply with the provisions.