34 Drugs, Including Anti-Cancer Medication, Added To National Essential Medicines List
The National List of Essential Medicines now includes 384 medications, including 34 antibiotics and several anti-infectives including Ivermectin, Mupirocin, and nicotine replacement therapy. By being added to the list, a number of antibiotics, vaccinations, and anti-cancer medications will become more inexpensive.
However, 26 medications from the original list have been removed, including ranitidine, sucralfate, white petrolatum, atenolol, and methyldopa. The elimination has been made according to the criteria of cost-effectiveness and the accessibility of superior medications. The Union health minister responded to this as: “Released the National List of Essential Medicines 2022.It comprises 384 drugs across 27 categories. Several antibiotics, vaccines, anti-cancer drugs and many other important drugs will become more affordable & reduce patients’ out-of-pocket expenditure.”
Endocrine medicines and contraceptives Fludrocortisone, Ormeloxifene, Insulin Glargine and Teneliglitin have been added to the list.
A revised list of 399 formulations was submitted by an expert committee under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) last year. After detailed analysis of Indian requirements, major changes were sought by Mr Mandaviya.
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