Find Medicine alternatives for cheap by sending SMS

Now the patient mobile users can have one more good news i.e they able to get reasonable method of medicine prescribed by doctor by sending simple USSD code SMS by using SMS based Mobile services.
The Government of India is expecting to plan this service from August onwards all over India.
According the sources information, “This service would help a patient choose the cheapest alternative available,".

How this scheme works?

When a patient mobile user types any medicine name prescribed by the Doctor and sends to XXXX then the patient receives two or three options of alternative medicines along with the branded medicine with the price differential. For example if a patient types “Augmentin” anti infective medicine and sends the SMS to the USSD code instantly patient receives in return SMS citing Moxikind CV (Mankind) which is significantly cheaper.
All the return medicines would come with caution as:
Please consult nearest doctor before popping the alternative (Pill).
Occasionally, the price differential between two alternatives of the same medicine is huge—up to 10-15 times.

Government is very keen to implement this scheme widely through the country used for therapies like anti-infectives, painkillers, respiratory and gastro intestinal drugs.
However consumers are price-responsive, they may not be aware of cheaper option which exists for a scrupulous drug. The SMS programme will support the consumer with cheaper alternatives.

Industry sources said the contract for managing the service has been allotted to a Delhi-based firm, and the model for operating the service is being finalized.

A few years ago, the government had launched a 24x7 helpline where a consumer could complain of being overcharged by a chemist. It also gave consumers information on essential medicines and their prices, besides helping them locate a cheaper generic version if an expensive, branded version had been prescribed.