New National Pharmaceutical Policy Drafted

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NEW NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICAL POLICY DRAFTED. FOCUSS ON AFFORDABLE

MEDICINES FOR ALL SAYS PASWAN

A new National Pharmaceutical Policy focusing on the prices and

availability of essential drugs has been drafted.

This was stated by the Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and

Steel, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan while addressing a seminar on drug price control in

New Delhi today. The minister said that the policy also includes measures for

the growth of the pharma industry.

Highlighting the Government's point of view the Minister said that

health care being high priority area and prominent part of National

Common Minimum Programme, the Indian Government is committed to

ensure affordability and availability of medicines to all.

Advocating consumer friendly prices, Shri Paswan said that. price

control is one of the tools with the government to maintain some

reasonability in the prices of the medicines. He said, direct

purchase from the company instead of dealers can reduce the cost of

drugs by 50 per cent

The minister said, affordable medicines for all assume significance

in view of the unique health insurance scheme for the below poverty

line families that has been launched on 1st April, 2008. Of the

entire expenditure on this scheme, 75 per cent will be borne by the

Central Government and 25 per cent by the State Governments.

Approximately 1crore 20 lakh people will be benefited annually under

this scheme.

Discussing the models and systems being followed elsewhere in the

world will help to learn from others experiences to minimize the

prices and maximize the availability of drugs. The Minister desired

to continue the dialogue at national and international level to

sustain and maintain an edge at the global level Appreciating the

challenges faced by the industry on account of several domestic and

international factors, the minister stressed the need for social

responsibility aspect of the industry.

Earlier inaugurating the seminar, the Minister of State for Chemical

and Fertilizers, Shri B.K. Handique said that the seminar will

provide an opportunity to share the experience with others on the

major areas of concern. Speaking on the occasion Dr G S Sandhu, Joint

Secretary Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals said, price

control is a very important issue for the government in view of the

public health requirements of the country.

NPPA has organized the international seminar on pharmaceutical prices and

regulatory framework for affordable medicines for the first time to mark

completion of ten years of its existence. Seminar is deliberating on various

aspects of price regulatory mechanisms

affordability of drugs and the international experience in the

subject.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=37355