The right prescription

A separate set of rules is needed to address the special nuances of India's medical devices industry

It’s election season. Both major parties have dedicated a chapter on health in their manifesto. This is encouraging but poses several questions. How will our country, one which accounts for nearly one-fifth of the global disease burden, achieve “Health for All”? Is there any country that we can draw lessons from? Are there strategies to ensure equity and sustainability? Has the government been able to generate policies that bring the interests of the industrial and health sectors closer together, to collaborate for mutual benefit? 

The three key industrial pillars of the health care system are drugs, vaccines and medical devices. While