Key cancer drugs, antibiotics set to become cheaper

Sept. 14, 2022

In News:

With the addition of 34 new drugs, the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) has a total of 384 listed as essential medicines.

What’s in today’s article:

National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM):

Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the majority of the population.
The primary purpose of NLEM is to promote rational use of medicines considering the three important aspects i.e., cost, safety and efficacy.
The medicines in NLEM should be available at affordable costs and with assured quality.
The first National List of Essential Medicines of India was prepared and released in 1996.
Under the latest NLEM 2015, a total 376 drugs are under price control.

The drugs in the NLEM are included in the schedule category and their price is regulated by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
Issued by: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
It is based on World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Model List of Essential Drugs.

News Summary:

384 drugs have been included in this list with addition of 34 drugs, while 26 from the previous list have been dropped.
Several antibiotics, vaccines and anti-cancer drugs are set to become more aﬀordable with their addition to the list.
Inclusion of a drug in the NLEM mandates that it is sold at prices fixed by the NPPA.

About National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA):

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was constituted by a resolution of the Government of India in 1997.
It is an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
It acts as an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.

Functions:

To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
To deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority.
To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
To collect/maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulations.
To undertake and/or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/ pharmaceuticals.
To render advice to the Central Government on changes/revisions in the drug policy.
To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to the drug pricing.

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