Affordability of Medicines in India

Why name few states, there should be Drug stores along with a prescribing doctor. more  

Capt. Johann - You are right that some of our states have already taken steps for prescribing only generic medicines, which should have been taken at national level. However, it is not enough only to issue instructions in this regard but the most important part of the issue is to ensure that the instructions are meticulously complied with by the concerned, the prescribed medicines are equally effective like the branded ones and are always available in effluent at all medical stores instead of in a few specified stores. The onus of ensuring the effectiveness of these medicines lies with the government and should be got done immediately. As far as the other part of your post, I am also equally concerned that our banking industry has been put on the verge of sickness by people like Mallyya who are still left scotfree instead of putting behind the bar and the contribution of Ambanis for nation building is no secret. But the tragedy of our country is that people like Mallyya & Ambanis always receive VVIP like treatment from our government, as if they are our national heroes. more  

It is high time the Govt. got involved in manufacturing drug industry, especially the 'costly' life saving drugs. I hope it is not the Govt.'s policy not to have any PSUs. If not PSU, let it be a Govt. owned company. But think of the common man who cannot afford these "costly" medicines, manufactured at a "very low" cost..... more  

@Ranjit biswas, The UPA government has already issued instructions to doctors to prescribe by Generic name and that too in capital letters long back. Some of the state governments like Tamilnadu, Telngana etc have specific genric drug stores. the question here is whether these generics are as effective as original.It is here I have been advocating a clinical trial by Oncologists and see how effective they are as already Government hospitals are prescribing only Generics. When we have big fat cats like Mallyya who spends Taxpayers money to buy luxury personal yachts and aircrafts and cricket teams while defaulting to Public sector banks and people like Ambani gifting Rupees 48 crorre saree tro his wife on Karwah chauth whiel the Kokilabehen hospital has no free beds, one can see how Indian big fats behave.It is UPA which used to write off bank loans and now this year NDA has written off 1,5 lakh crore from public secotor banks books. I am eagerly waiting to see the list of defaulters beyand rupees 500 crores. more  

At a time when we are capable of manufacturing atom bombs, satellites, we can reach the Moon and dream to reach the Mars, it is a national shame that we are still dependent on other so called developed countries for critical life saving drugs, who are encashing the opportunity and charging sky rocketing prices. Due to exorbitant prices of such drugs and financial inability of an average indian to meet such high prices, large number of untimely death occurs every year. Since several life threatening diseases have already become like epidemic in the country, the government should immediately step in and ensure manufacturing of all critical life saving drugs in the country and made available to common man at affordable prices. Following steps may be helpful to improve the situation: 1. A condition may be stipulated in the drug licences to compulsorily manufacture some specified critical life saving drugs and make it available to common man at affordable price. Loss, if any, may be taken care of in the form of certain incentives to such companies for a specified period; 2. Manufacturers of such drugs worldwide can be attracted by offering various facilities and concessions; 3. Our corporate houses should be involved in countering the situation by taking them into confidence. They should be explained the gravity of the situation and be convinced to invest a meagre percentile of their annual income in manufacturing critical life saving drugs in the country for the benefit of our country men; 4. Identify the generic medicines equally effective and cost effective and bring laws forcing the doctors to prescribe such medicines only for all kind of patients (rich & poor). Also ensure that such medicines are always available in effluent and no artificial crisis are made to snatch more money in black market; 5. Let the import of such medicines be transparent and cap margins of profit on them; 6. Force the doctors to prescribe only the combinations of medicines instead of prescribing brand names. more