Apple Medicals and Remedies Private Limited, which is having retail chain pharmacy outlets in the State, was opened in Bhanugudi Junction this Wednesday. Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhara Reddy inaugurated the outlet and K.S. Satyanarayana, the Director of  Drug Control Authroity, and MBR Sarma, the Superintendent of GGH, participated in the inauguration. ISC Prasad, Director of the Apple Medicals, said that his company had taken a step to control the prices of drugs in the market at least by 50 per cent by introducing generic medicine. They stepped into the market with “Janasri Oushadi” (Generic Medicine) brand and selling them 50 per cent cheaper. Explaining the difference between branded and generic medicines, Mr. Prasad said generally all the pharmaceutical companies registered their brands before releasing into the market and all the expenses including packing, transport, bulk supply charges and retail charges would be charged on that particular brand and it would be sold to the customer at higher rate than manufacturing rate. However, some companies directly manufactured drugs by its chemical names and there would be no marketing or other charges but quality wise they were equally good. Mr. Prasad said in the USA and other countries doctors were prescribing only generic medicines as there would be no side-effects. About pricing, he said, for example, Amoxycillin (Mox 500mg) by Ranbaxy Company cost Rs.9.52 per capsule while the same drug by German Remedies with generic medicine name Amoxil 500 cost only Rs.4.