THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH & FAMILY WELFARE (SMT. PANABAKA LAKSHMI)
(a)&(b): The Government have constituted a Pharmaceutical Advisory Forum on the 26th
July, 2004 to have meaningful dialogue amongst all the stakeholders on various issues
concerning the drug policy. The Chairman of the Forum is the Minister of Chemicals and
Fertilizers. Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Health Ministers of all the States/
UTs, Secretaries, Department of Health, Chemicals and Petrochemicals, DCG(I) & Drug
Controllers of all States/UTs, Pharma Industry Associations, Chemists Associations &
Consumer bodies are its members. Two meetings of the Forum have been held on 11.2.2006
and 23.9.2006 at New Delhi.
The Government have drafted a National Pharmaceutical Policy, 2006 wherein it has been
proposed to set up Advisory Committees to provide a standing platform for regular inter-
action with industry, consumers and State Governments at the Head Office level in Delhi
and 6 Regional Offices in the country namely Northern Region, Southern Region, Western
Region, Central Region, Eastern region and North-Eastern region.
(c)to(f) : The Hon’ble Supreme Hon’ble Court vide its order dated 10.03.2003 in SLP no.3668/
2003 directed the Government, inter-alia, to consider and formulate appropriate criteria for
ensuring that essential and life saving drugs do not fall out of price control. In pursuance
of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court a Draft National Pharmaceutical Policy 2006
was prepared by Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals proposing price control for
354 drugs with specified strengths mentioned in the National Lists of Essential Medicine
(NLEM) 2003. The Policy is under finalization at present. A joint Committee with members
from the drug industry had been constituted under the Chairpersonship of Secretary (C&PC)
to suggest, inter-alia, interpretation of order dated 10.03.2003 of the Supreme Court in SLP
3668/2003. The joint Committee has submitted its report to the Government on 30.11.2006 and
the same will be taken into consideration while finalizing the National Pharmaceutical Policy,
2006.
Several measures for making cheaper medicines available to common man are being proposed
in the Draft National Pharmaceutical Policy e.g. National Health Insurance Policy for the BPL
families, Larger allocation for National Illness Assistance Fund/State Illness Assistance
Funds, District Illness Assistance Fund, Revolving Funds for BPL families to be set up in all
the Central Government hospitals. Rajasthan model of Medicare Relief Societies is proposed
to be replicated in other States also. Scheme of District level Drug Banks in States/UTs, Setting
up of Cancer Medicines Assistance Fund etc.are also included in the proposed policy.
