PHARMA LITERATI

To increase availability of generic medicines at affordable prices and to promote Jan Aushadhi Scheme, the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI) encourages colleges to establish Jan Aushadhi stores in their premises. This will serve both the purpose of requirement of quality medicine at affordable price as well as the requirement of practical training to the student pharmacists under the provisions of   'the education regulations, 1991' and 'the bachelor of pharmacy course regulation, 2014' . The PCI will extend support by way of pursuance with regulatory bodies like BPPI and state drug control departments for the issuance of licenses to the colleges. The council has also directed the state pharmacy council to provide guidance to the colleges in their respective states. Dr B Suresh, president of PCI says, “ PCI is encouraging pharmacy colleges to establish Jan Aushadhi store in their premises. After issuing the circular of this initiative by the council, many inst...

The Union government is gearing up to establish 3,000 Jan Aushadhi stores across the country over the next one year from the current 430 outlets. The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) is now making another attempt to persuade the Union ministry of health to recommend the benefits of prescribing of generic equivalent drugs. “ Plans are in place to work towards setting up another 2,570 stores taking the total number of Jan Aushadi outlets to 3,000 from the present 430 outlets ,” DoP secretary Sudhanshu Pant said during his recent visit to Bengaluru. “ We are working to ensure that the Jan Aushadhi stores will be able to market substituted generics drugs. Currently, the rule calls to prescribe only branded generic drugs and there is no permit to substitute these products. The drugs can be tested for its safety and efficacy at the government identified drug test labs before they are made available at these outlets. We see the need for patients to access affordable medicine w...

The Department of Pharmaceuticals, under the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers, has suggested modifications to the Drugs & Cosmetics Act to legally allow pharmacists of Jan Aushadhi stores to offer alternate generic drugs to customers instead of prescribed branded drugs, an official from the pharmaceutical department said on the condition of anonymity. The move comes in the wake of the government having targeted opening 3,000 Jan Aushadhi stores in the current financial year, as announced by finance minister Arun Jaitley in his budget speech. The Jan Aushadhi scheme, started in 2008, aims to provide affordable and quality medicines to the poor and disadvantaged through increased focus on unbranded generic medicines. “ While the Jan Aushadhi scheme is designed to facilitate access to medicines for the poorer section of society, the economic viability of the proposal needs a leg-up if we are to increase the number of Jan Aushadhi stores in the country ,” said the ...

The guidelines for Opening of Jan Aushadhi Store for different category are revised: • For - Individuals Entrepreneurs/Unemployed Pharmacists/Doctors/Registered Medical Practitoners • For - NGO Hospitals/Charitable Institutions/Private Hospitals/Trust/Societies/Self help Group • For - State Government Nominated Agencies • For - Mobile Jan Aushadhi Medical Store Scheme   The guidelines are available at: http://janaushadhi.gov.in/guidelines.html

Government plans to sell more than 400 generic medicines at cheaper price through Jan Aushadhi stores by end of this year. At present, there are 225 generic medicines available at Jan Aushadhi store. The rates of medicine on these stores are as low as one-third to one-tenth of the market price depending on the type of medicine. Ahir said the ministry will provide quality generic medicines to all, especially the poor, including medicines used for treating diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Speaking while inaugurating the Jan Aushadhi store Ahir said, "We will increase the number of generic medicines to 425 from 225 at present which will also include medicines treating for diabetes and cancer among others." The government is also planning to increase the number Jan Aushadhi stores to 3,000 that will be opened in two years across the country by involving B Pharma and M Pharma qualified unemployed populace. The government has been selling generic medicines at ...

In order to provide medicines at rates that are 60-70 per cent lower than market prices, the government will soon open 1,000 more Jan Aushadi stores across the country. The stores will be renamed, rebranded and involve B. Pharma and M. Pharma qualified unemployed populace, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Ahir said today. These stores will be opened for the underprivileged that would be provided medicines at a price of 60-70 per cent less than the market price ," Ahir said in a statement. The ministry is working on opening all these 1000 stores under the 'Jan Aushadhi Scheme' on a single day, he said. Jan Aushadi was started in 2008 and around 100 stores are operating under the scheme. In August 2013, the government had approved a plan to open 3,000 more stores during the 12th Plan period -- from 2013-14 to 2016-17. Meanwhile, Officials of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), the nodal agency for implementation of the scheme has be...