Profile
Settings
Refer your friends
Sign out
Why in the News?
The new National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), released by the Union Health Ministry has now been brought under the Drug Prices Control Order.
About
National List of Essential Medicine (NLEM)
- Objective: To rationalize the use of limited resources for drugs needed the most by the greatest number of people.
- Prices of medicines included in NLEM are controlled by the Centre, ensuring lower prices.
- It is a dynamic list that takes into account any changing profile of diseases, newer drugs available on the market, and changing treatment protocols.
- In NLEM, the medicines are categorized based on the level of the healthcare system as P- Primary; S- Secondary, and T- Tertiary.
- Based on this list, the NPPA (National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority) decides the ceiling prices.
Criteria for adding Medicines in NELM:
- They should:
- be useful in diseases which is a public health problem in India.
- be licensed/ approved Drugs Controller General (India) (DCGI).
- have proven efficacy and safety profiles based on scientific evidence.
- be comparatively cost-effective.
Benefits
- Several antibiotics, vaccines, and anti-cancer drugs are set to become more affordable with their addition to the list.
- Boost cost-effective, quality medicines and contribute towards a reduction in Out of Pocket Expenditure.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA):
|
News Source: The Indian Express
