Coming soon: Buy cheap generic medicines at petrol pumps

Cheap medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendras - a boon for the poor: Modi's Independence Day speech

Soon, public will have access to Jan Aushadhi (generic medicines) at petrol pumps belonging to state-run fuel retailers across the country

According to Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, pharmacies could be set up at petrol pumps in the future, in view of making cheap drugs accessible to masses and to enhance the revenue of state-run petrol pumps.

"We are trying that pharmacy wing of the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers' common service centres should also be opened at our petrol pumps, Pradhan said at an event in New Delhi.

State-run petrol pumps may also be allowed to offer pharmaceuticals, groceries and other such products for sale.

Currently, the fuel outlets offer a bouquet of allied services like ATMs, service stations, convenience stores and PUC facilities to enhance value and convenience to customers across the urban, highway and rural markets.

Shortage of qualified pharmacists have emerged as a problem

Shortage of qualified pharmacists has emerged as a problem. Under the law, drug stores need to have qualified pharmacists. While most of the private drug stores list such pharmacists, they are seldom present. "As a government entity, we can't do that," a source told TOI. But the officials were hopeful of finding a way and said it will also open job opportunities.

Branded and Generic medicines

A large population of poor people in India find it difficult to afford the more expensive branded category of medicines and the generic ones.

To ensure availability of quality medicines at affordable prices to all, the government has taken the following steps:

1. Price control of Scheduled Drugs through the National Pharmaceutical pricing authority (NPPA): Under the Drug Price Control Order, 1995, NPPA has been given the mandate to control and fix the maximum retail prices of a number of scheduled/listed bulk drugs and their formulations, in accordance with well defined criteria and methods of accounting, relating to costs of production and marketing.

2. Price regulation of Non-Scheduled Drugs: Apart from the scheduled medicines under DPCO, 1995, the NPPA monitors the prices of other medicines not listed in the DPCO schedule, such that they do not have a price variation of more than 10% per annum.

What are generic drugs

According to US FDA, generic drugs are copies of brand-name drugs that have exactly the same dosage, intended use, effects, side effects, route of administration, risks, safety, and strength as the original drug. In other words, their pharmacological effects are exactly the same as those of their brand-name counterparts. Although generic drugs are chemically identical to their branded counterparts, they are typically sold at substantial discounts from the branded price. Billions are saved when hospitals use generics.

How citizens can avail drug facilities

* The department of pharmaceuticals has set up a national toll-free helpline 1800-180-8080 for dissemination of information on generic versions with same drug compositions (activated)

* SMS based facility to assist a citizen in finding a low-priced generic version.

* Catalogues shall be kept at stores for reference by the public.

Modi's Independence Day speech on cutting medical costs for the poor

Cheap medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendras - a boon for the poor

Modi said that cheap medicines, being made available through ‘Jan Aushadhi Kendras’ have been a blessing for the poor.

“The expenditure on conducting operations, on stents have gone down in our country. In the coming days, all facilities for carrying out knee operations will also be made available.

“It is our endeavour that such expenses for the poor and the middle class goes down and we are taking steps for that,” he said.

The government on February 13 slashed by up to 85 per cent the prices of life-saving coronary stents, tiny metal tubes inserted into the narrowed coronary arteries, a move which has provided relief to lakhs of cardiac patients.

Modi further said that the government has now decided to make dialysis facilities, which were earlier available only at the state headquarters, would be made available in each district centres of the country.

He said that the facility has been made available at 350 - 400 districts.