E-DRUG: New Generic drugs outlets in India
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TIMES OF INDIA
Jan Aushadhi shops to provide unbranded generic medicines
4 Feb 2009, 0916 hrs IST, Bisheshwar Mishra, TNN
NEW DELHI: The Centre is planning to open 40 `Jan Aushadhi' shops, (peoples' medicine shops) all over the country by March 4 where generic medicines will be sold at half the price of branded medicines.
A few Jan Aushadhi outlets have already begun functioning in Punjab. The first such store was opened in Amritsar on November 25 last year, as part of a campaign begun by the newly created department of pharmaceuticals under the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers.
Following Punjab government's cooperation with the Centre, other states like Haryana, Rajasthan, Bihar and Assam are also coming forward to set up Jan Aushadhi outlets, for which they have to provide space free of cost, preferably in a government hospital.
In Delhi, a Jan Aushadhi shop will be opened in Shastri Bhavan which will be run by Kendriya Bhandar. It will be inaugurated by chemicals, fertilisers and steel minister Ram Vilas Paswan on February 5. This shop will remain open round the clock. "We have decided to provide post-surgical material too at reasonable rates," Ashok Kumar, secretary, department of pharmaceuticals, said on Tuesday.
Opening generic drug stores was decided at a meeting of the Pharma Advisory Forum chaired by Paswan on April 23. Kumar said, "I am going slow because I want to ensure uninterrupted supply of the required generic medicines." Primarily, five PSUs -- IDPL, HAL, BPCL, KAPL and RDPL -- will supply medicines but Kumar said several private sector drug manufacturers too had promised to help in the mission.
"There is a problem of mindset. Most people go by the high price of medicine. Invariably, branded medicines being costly are preferred by patients," Kumar said. "We will ensure that quality of drugs being supplied at our Jan Aushdhi shops will be of high standard even though their price would be less than half of branded drugs. For this, we are taking the help of doctors, NGOs, Indian Medical Association, private industries and civil society to educate the people overcome this mental block," Kumar added.