Maha to start 300 generic medicine shops with central aid

Maharashtra government would start 300 generic medicine stores with the help of central funds, Food and Drug Administration Minister Girish Bapat said today.
He said the number of generic drugs available at concessional rates will be increased to 243 from current 18.
Bapat was replying to a discussion during the Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly on the sale of drugs for kidney ailments on fake bills of a medical store in Pune city.
The minister said cases have been filed against six persons including a medical representative who used to sell these drugs (physician's samples) to patients on the fake bills, and four persons have been arrested so far.

As per the guidelines of Indian Medical Association, drugs given to medical representatives by pharma companies cannot be sold in open market, the minister said.
With the Centre's aid, the state will have 300 generic medicine shops, and those selling medicines at a cost higher than the MRP would be dealt with seriously, the minister said.

In a reply to another question on the instances of adulteration of various commodities asked by Vijay Auti of Shiv Sena, Bapat said there are cases of urea mixed in milk.
"Such cases would be made non-bailable," he said.
Bapat said his government wanted the state to be free of adulteration and a strict law is necessary for the purpose. The Centre too agrees and it is in consultation process over formulating the law and that it has asked various states to submit their views in this regard.

In a written reply, Medical Education Minister Vinod Tawde said a proposal for setting up a cancer research centre in Nagpur has been sent to the Centre for approval.
The proposal is worth Rs 120 crore, wherein the Centre will bear 75 per cent of expenses and rest will be borne by the state government.