Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya released National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) 2022 in which twenty six drugs including ranitidine and sucralfate, the common gastrointestinal drugs have been excluded.
In total, 384 medicines perceive space on the list with addition of 34 drugs. 26 medicines from the previous list have been dropped. The medicines are categorised into 27 remedial categories.
Health Minister official said, medicines deleted from the NLEM includes banned medicines in India. Drugs go off the list if medicines with favourable safety and better cost effectiveness become available.
The new list encompass four drugs which are still under patent – bedaquiline and delamanid for the treatment of multiple drug resistant tuberculosis, dolutegravir used to treat HIV infection, daclatasvir for viral infection.
Several antibiotics, vaccines and anti cancer drugs are set to become more affordable with their addition to the list. Endocrine drugs and contraceptives, montelukast, which is used in respiratory disease, ophthalmological drugs are also in the list.
The Health Minister in a tweet said some antibiotics, vaccines, anti cancer drugs and some important medicines would become more affordable to the common man.
The main aim of the NLEM is to promote rational use of medicines taking into consideration – cost, safety and efficacy. It also assists in maximum use of health care resources and budget, health insurance, drug procurement policies,improving prescribing practices, medical education and drafting pharmaceutical policies.
