Indonesia – Compulsory generic names to be indicated on medicine packaging

A new regulation from the Indonesian Ministry of Health was issued on 23rd of April 2005, effective since the 23rd of October 2005, implementing the obligation to place the generic name on medicine packaging.

This regulation is actually a revision from another regulation of the Ministry of Health of 2004, which had decided of the compulsory generic name to be place on medicine packaging but in a larger font size over the trademark.

Many objections had risen regarding this new ruling. Therefore, this policy has been reviewed in 2005 by the Ministry of Health after complains from pharmaceutical companies and members of the Parliament.

According to this new regulation, the trademark and the generic name will be both indicated on each packaging, now the trademark being above the generic name. The writing of the latter shall be at least 80 % of the size of the trademark, with same color and font like the trademark.

Pharmaceutical companies have a six-month grace period to comply with this new regulation.

The Indonesian Ministry of Health has informed that the purpose of the regulation is to improve generic drug consumption and public’s reliance to generic medicines. The inclusion of the generic name on the packaging is a way to provide accurate information to patients.