Daily News from New York, New York • 704

tf57A1LY EWS- WElfrr5UNTUARY 10, 1971 17 f- Federal Trade Commission study of the problem which, in turn, suggested remedies for the defects. New York's law requires that pharmacists substitute the lower priced generic product when the doctor signs the permissible" line that is now on all prescription forms. Con- sumers can save up to 50' when there is a generic equivalent to replace a brand-name drug. But druggists and doctors here fought the mandatory generic law they wanted a voluntary program. And surveys', have shown many druggists do not yet stock a wide variety of generics and many doctors are refusing to sign on the "substitution permissible line.

The remedies, endorsed by the com worthwhile for pharmacists to dispense genetically by allowing them to share the savings with consumers. Pharmacists in many states have balked at stocking and selling generic drugs because it has hurt their pocketbooks. Voluntary participation In the model law suggests that participation in the generic program be voluntary. Many states have made such participation compulsory, or nearly so. and this has caused both doctors and pharmacists to revolt.

The government also published yes-' terday. for the first time, a list of 5.000 prescription drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration as both "safe and effective." It also proposed to designate 40 of these as "medically By JUDITH RANDAL Washington (News Bureau) -A model law for the states that could shave as much as $400 million a year from the nation's prescription drug bill was unveiled by the Carter administration yesterday. The Intent of the model law to help states enact drug laws that encourage doctors to prescribe and pharmacists to sell cheaper "generic" drugs Instead of those that are sold for the same purposes under more costly brand, names. About 40 states including New York already have such laws. How ever, few of them have worked very wetL la proposing a model law, the government has drawn on a two-year In announcing this.

Health Education and Welfare Secretary Joseph A. Califano Jr. said the list of "medically equivalent" drugs would determine what the government will pay for the medicines in question for patients whose bills are paid by Medicare or Medicaid. This will extend the so-called "maximum allowable cost" program begun during the Nixon administration. The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, representing the larger drug firms, charged that the new measures will give an unfair competitive' advantage to smaller companies that da not make brand-name drugs and do not research.

'According to the Federal Trade Commission study, however, 90 of the generic drugs are made by the large drug firms lodging this complaint. mission and the Department of Health. equivalent" generics that could be sub Education and Welfare. Include a provi stituted for their more expensive brand-name counterparts. sion that: would make It financially Ckillir.g roar? Colly has 3 days ti feliveir IP space ly HARRISON RAMIE 1 I felt.

told before he was transferred to the city that the new regional headquarters would probably be in New Rochelle. and he speculated that Jellison moved there a the basis of that information. Jellison has been on vacation during the flareup and was unavailable for comment. Horgan said the final decision will still be up to Jellison and that a major concern would be the speed at which the move could be made. "We need the space quickly, to make room for a data processing center in the city." be said.

Beatty will head minority caucus Albany CNews Bureau) Pledging to fight for an increase in welfare benefits and free statewide health care. State Sen. Vander Beatty was unanimously elected chairman of the Black and Puerto Rican Legislative caucus yesterday. Beatty. a Brooklyn Democrat succeeded Albert Vann as head of the 22 member caucus.

Beatty said that the caucus would work at placing minority members in- government en the state level and would work more closely with Black Caucus in Congress to raise the standard of living for blacks and Hispanies. Beatty pointed out that welfare recipients had not had a benefit increase since 1972, forcing them into a "subhuman existence." A failure to raise those benefits, Beatty said, will "negate the social goals that have been fought for so hard and won." John Hanull for Economic Development Peter Solomon that the Postal Service would give him a crack at finding "appropriate" space in Manhattan, and then a choice would be made. One of the factors that rankled New York City was that, in addition to the loss of a $6.7 million payroll, the decision to move to New Rochelle was made by Regional Postmaster James Jellison, who lives there. Prefer the West Side New Rochelle Mayor Vincent Rippa said be was not surprised at the decision to give New York City officials time to find space for the postal bead-quarters in Manhattan. He said, bow-ever, that the selection of New Rochelle as a sit was good for the state.

"The region covers six states and they could have gone anyplace." Rippa saud. "I think lt' a compliment to the State of New York that they're staying here." Solomon said he was "confident" that the city could find offices to meet the Postal Service's needs 75.000 square feet at $8-per-foot. preferably on the West Side. "Whether they are satisfied is another matter," he added. Postmaster on vacation The decision to give the city time was made by Assistant Postmaster Edward Horgan after he met with Solomon and Rep.

Joseph Addabbo (L-Queens) on Monday. The congressman, a member of the appropriations subcommittee that deals with postal subsidies, told Horgan: "If you have enough dough to waste on moving to the suburbs, then I guess you dont need as much of a subsidy next year." Horgan insisted that Jellison was Washington (News Bureau) Stung by charges that they are abandoning New York City, Postal Service brass said yesterday they would give city planners 30 days to find them office space before they decide whether to move 250 top executives to New Rochelle, in Westchester. It apparently was more a gesture than a cave-in. however, because a postal spokesman said officials "were continuing the preparations to go to New Rochelle." Nevertheless, be said, they did promise New York Deputy Mayor "Cd cpis a 'ncn-Kon' from Newburgh Is the city of Newburgh the toughest town in New York State? Oui." says "Oui," the girlie magazine. "Non." says Police Commissioner Thomas Wohlrab, And "Je nal rien dire." which is French for "no comment," says John Desmond, the city manager.

An article In the magazine contends that there Is more crime per capita in Newburgh than in New York City. Wohlrab concedes that this is so. but be denied the "Oui" -contention that his town is overrun with street gangs and muggers. As for Desmond, be said. "I have no comment.

I wouldn't read that magazine or have it in my borne." How then did he know what was in the article? "A reporter read it to me," Desmond explained. John McLaughlin ctrle give stone UmI bead a fierce leok as cold snap tamed everything to Ice at University of Kansas, Lawrence. Icenus aba has set tinea here la Big Apple, and Weather Sere ice says he may add smew to Ms re -pertoire by tomorrow afternoon City is offered a fountain to grace Broadway (cart: Most hSvct'nSary ly STEWART AIM A person who signs himself -'Into a state mental hospital voluntarily cannot be kept there against his will unless the institution obtains a court order within 72 hours of his request to leave, it was ruled yesterday. The decision was made by Manhat-. tan Supreme Court Justice Edward J.

Greenfield in-a case involving two inmates of the Manhattan Psychiatric Center. In one case a patient was detained several days, and in the other for several weeks. At a hearing at the psychiatric center, a representative of the state attorney general's office asked that no time limit be imposed upon the mental hospital because the time requirement might be overlooked and a seriously disturbed mental patient would be set free. To this Greenfield said: They (the hospitals) are not to be encouraged in dilatory or slipshod practices where human liberty is at stake." Greenfield said that In the event a patient is released after the prescribed 72 hours because a court order bad not been obtained, further steps can be made by the institution to have him returned involuntarily. This could bo done en certification by two examining psychiatrists that the person needs mental treatment, be said.

Efforts to reach Delacorte, 84. a pio office exploring size and form, but Ry OWEN MORITZ Publisher-philanthropist George T. Delacorte. whose gifts to the Big Apple include elegant fountains at Roosevelt Island and City Hall Park, wants to donate a fountain to grace Broadway in Times Square. Delacorte, it is understood, has offered such a fountain, and the city's Office of Midtown Planning is studying a series of sites from 43d to 49th Sis.

along Broadway. Sites outlined "Certainly it would be wonderful." 'said a spokesman tor the planning office. "3ut right now. we have run into few technical problems." Landscape architects for Delacorte have been in touch with the planning neer in comic, magazine and book publishing, were unsuccessful. In a related development, a financing package for the long-awaited Port-man Hotel is said to be near completion.

The $165 million futuristic hotel, a cornerstone of the Times Square revival project, is reported to binge on the awarding of a $15 million urban development grant by the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Such a grant was awarded earlier this month for Alexander's Department Store to move into the vacant Macy's store in downtown Jamaica, and the next grant reportedly will allocate money for the Portman Hotel to rise at Broadway and 46th St, sources said. That grant is expected to be announced around April nothing definite has been laid out. Delacorte' other fountains have drawn considerable comment. His fountain on the southern tip of Roosevelt Island is a high spouting gusher, and bis $200,000 granite and limestone complex it the southern tip of City Hall Park finished, but not yet functioning is said to be reminiscent of the Cro-ton Fountain built there in 1842.

Delacorte unavailable Possible sites for the Times Square gusher are: 43d and Broadway, now occupied by an armed forces recruiting booth; the traffic island farther north near the George M. Cohan statue near 45th St, and as part of the planned Broadway Plaza running from 45th to 49th Sts. In all cases, the proposed fountain would be over subway tracks, and that is said to represent a problem..