June 26, 2011Dear Sir,As we move forward as a country, Mr Editor, we must define a new fresh approach to an affordable and sustainable healthcare system for all residents. The Minister of Health is doing his best to build a new hospital on time and on budget, but Mr Editor, it will take more than a new hospital to sustain our medical and healthcare for seniors and children.The Premier has recognised in her last budget 2010 that a major cost of the healthcare in this country which is not sustainable is the way we prescribe drugs. She recognised this in her last Budget by stating there would be “provision of quality generic prescription drugs”. As Minister of Finance, the Premier clearly sees the multi-million dollar of savings if the doctors and medical establishment prescribed the substantially cheaper generic drugs.The Premier and her Minister Zane DeSilva want to see an increased reliance of lower cost generic drugs to reduce the cost of medical care. They are correct and should be supported within the community for their efforts. For her initiative to work all of us should ask our doctor when he prescribes a drug if a generic equivalent drug is available.If the doctors and all medical professionals cooperate and do their best to write generic prescriptions our health costs will decrease substantially and our healthcare system will be more sustainable which will be good for all of us!Mr Editor, this Government proposal is a win-win scenario for all the people, the doctors, and even the insurance companies who will see their cost payouts decrease.MICHAEL A MARKHAMSmith's