For bringing down prices of medicines for critical diseases like cancer, HIV and diabetes, the government has revised the national list of essential medicines (NLEM) to add 106 more drugs while 70 other drugs, which are not prescribed frequently or where better alternatives are now available in the market, have been taken off the list.
This means, the total number of essential medicines, prices of which are capped by the government, would increase from 348 to 384, including diagnostic agents and contraceptives.
The move following recommendations from a core committee formed by the health ministry is expected to make many important drugs affordable or at least reduce their prices significantly to bring relief to patients.
Calling it the "best fit list", the core committee under the chairmanship of former Indian Council of Medical Research chief VM Katoch said emphasis was laid on the disease-burden and treatment guidelines as basis for selecting and therefore, medicines which are "aligned with the current treatment guidelines" and those used for treatment of diseases that are "public health problems" have been added to the new list.
"Drawing an essential medicines list (EML) is expected to result in better quality of medical care, better management of medicines and cost-effective use of healthcare resources," the committee said in its report.
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