Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers - Year End Review, 2017

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)

• These are exclusive outlets aimed at making quality medicines available at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor and the disadvantaged.
• Around 3000 PMBJP units are functional as per the latest reports.
• The scheme’s product basket has been expanded to cover around 650 medicines and around 150 surgicals and consumables.
• It covers all therapeutic categories such as Anti-infectives, Anti-diabetics, Cardiovasculars, Anti-cancers, Gastro-intestinal medicines, etc.
• Several MoUs have been signed with various State Government/ Organisations/ NGOs to promote PMBJKs across the country.
• Besides, the Department has persuaded the Medical Council of India (MCI) to issue guidelines to comply with the regulation on use of generic names of drugs.

Capping of Ceiling Prices of Stents and Knee Implants

• A coronary stent is a tube-shaped device that is used to treat narrow or weak coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart.
• Knee Implants are used in Knee replacement surgeries.
• The ceiling prices of the Coronary Stents and knee implants were revised recently.
• The reduction in prices of coronary stents was up to 85% and that for knee implants was up to 69% of the prices before the price cap.
• The price ceilings are government's efforts to make these expensive medical care equipments affordable to the general public.

Fixing of ceiling prices of drug formulations

• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixed the prices of around 250 drug formulations in this year.
• This has resulted in total formulations under price control to be 849 under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2015.
• The fixation of ceiling price of scheduled formulations facilitates considerably reducing the consumers' health expenditure.

Pharma Data Bank

• This serves as a common platform for the Pharmaceutical Manufacturer/ Marketing/ Importer/Distributor Companies.
• It could be used to file mandatory returns prescribed in the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 2013.
• And also for filing online applications for price approval of ‘new drug’ under DPCO, 2013.

Mobile Apps/ other tools

• NPPA has recently launched its mobile app named Pharma SAHI DAAM.
• It benefits common people by offering information on brand name, composition, ceiling price and MRP of the formulation, etc.
• Ceiling Price of scheduled formulations may also be obtained by using the tool ‘Search Medicine Price’ available in the website of NPPA.

Scheme for Development of Pharma Industry

• This is an Umbrella Scheme prepared by the Department of pharmaceuticals.
• The Scheme comprises of:

1. assistance to Bulk Drug Industry for Common Facilitation Centre
2. assistance to Medical Device Industry for Common Facilitation Centre
3. assistance to Pharmaceutical Industry
4. Pharmaceutical Technology Upgradation Assistance Scheme
5. Pharmaceutical Promotion and Development Scheme

Pharmaceuticals Promotion and Development Scheme (PPDS)

• The scheme extends financial support for conduct of seminars, conferences, exhibitions, mounting delegations to and from India.
• Launched in 2008, the objective is to facilitate growth, exports as well as addressing critical issues affecting the Pharma sector.

Academic Initiatives

• National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) - The Government has announced setting up of NIPERs one each in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
• Academia-Industry linkage - NIPERs have undertaken linkages with 17 leading Pharma Industries through MOUs.
• Institutional mechanism on NIPER-Industry partnership for campus placements and CEO talks has also been established.

Legislative undertakings

• National Pharmaceutical policy - This is under consideration so as to cover the entire gambit of the pharma sector.
• Uniform Code for Pharmaceuticals Marketing Practices (UCPMP) - The Ministry of Law and Justice is being consulted for making a statutory order for controlling the unethical practices being adopted by some Pharmaceutical companies.
• Review of Drug Price Control Order - The Department has constituted a Committee of Joint Secretaries for this purpose.
• It comprises of representatives from NPPA, Health, DIPP, DCGI.
• Amendments to the provisions of DPCO, 2013 is undertaken to ensure enhanced accessibility of drugs to the poor.

Source: PIB