Public sector pharmaceutical firms Hindustan Antibiotics Limited (HAL) and Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (RDPL) have entered into the manufacture of anti-retroviral drugs. The first generation ARV drugs that come from these PSUs would be the lowest price drugs available in the country. Ram Vilas Paswan, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers officially launched three ARVs manufactured by HAL and six by RDPL here on September 23.
The three ARV drugs manufactured by HAL are Lamivudine, Indinavir and Zidovudine. RDPL will manufacture Nevirapine, Lamivudine, Lidovudine, Didanosine, Indinavir and a Lamivudine, Lidovudine combination. The comparative prices of RDPL drugs with that of leading generic drug manufacturer Cipla are: Nevirapine 200 mg - 10 Tabs (Rs 147 Cipla / Rs 126 RDPL), Lamivudine 300 mg 10 Tabs (Rs 205 Cipla / Rs 140 RDPL) and Indinavir 400mg 20 Caps (Rs 466 Cipla / Rs 396 RDPL).
The announcement came at the second Pharmaceutical Advisory Forum meeting. The event also saw the minister announcing plans for setting up district level drug banks for free distribution of medicines to Below Poverty Line (BPL) families by January 26, 2007. Small-scale drug manufacturers of the country have already announced free supply of medicines worth 0.5 per cent of their turnover towards the drug bank. Other pharmaceutical manufacturers are expected to follow suit. The Department of Chemicals is to work out the modalities of the bank.
The meeting also saw the launch of the country's first round-the-clock medicine price helpline being set up by Voluntary Organisation in Interest of Consumer Education (VOICE). The helpline is to turn operational on October 2; the date on which the mandatory need to print MRP inclusive of all taxes on medicine packs comes in force. The minister also wanted the companies begin the system of bilingual labeling from that date. In addition to this, the industry also agreed to reduce the trade margins of all generic drugs by the same time. The minister has received a written assurance from the industry associations to reduce the trade margins voluntarily.
B K Handique, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers and state health ministers attended the Pharmaceutical Advisory Forum meeting from Punjab, Gujarat, Haryana, Meghalaya and Pondicherry. Industry association representatives and health NGOs from all states were also present.