The Department of Pharmaceuticals has proposed over 300 drugs in 16 therapeutic areas to be sold through the planned generic stores, as the industry reacted positively to make the scheme a success. While 25 per cent of the drugs will be sourced from the pharma companies in the public sector, the private sector generic players will be approached to supply the rest at a lower price to make it affordable for the poor sections of the society.

However, the final list of drugs will be prepared by a joint forum of representatives of pharma PSUs and private sector after consultations. The forum will also work out the entire modalities of the project, sources said.
Reacting to the initiative by the government, the small scale units have given a thumps up to the idea by promising to make available the suggested drugs at the prices, even lower than that of the PSUs. "We are ready to do our bits to make the scheme successful by supplying the required drugs at lower prices,"' said SPIC vice-chairman Lalit Jain. It is also going to be a good option to bring price control in the market, he added.

"As part of the scheme, part expenditure may be met by the Centre in such a way that three partners - Centre, State and private sector-contribute towards the scheme either financially or in the case of private sector by supplying medicines at no-profit or nominal profit basis," according to the concept note by the department.

The stores will be set up in 12 states in the first phase and nodal agencies for the same have also been identified. Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand and West Bengal have been chosen. It will be extended to other states in the second and third phases.

On their parts, the state governments will find space in government hospitals for the outlets and help them set up the stores. They will also be asked to instruct doctors in government hospitals to prescribe the listed drugs and encourage NGOs and charitable bodies to set up stores. The NGOs running stores outside the government hospitals, on non-profit basis will have to meet the expenses of running them partly.

The IDPL will coordinate with hospitals in preparation of formulary and coordinate supply from its own plants and other pharma companies in the public sector. It will also monitor the running of these outlets. However, the entire scheme would be monitored by a coordination committee at the level of secretary of the pharma department which will be coming out with a comprehensive scheme for all districts after the pilot project.

"A list of unbranded generic medicines which are commonly used by patients for chronic and other diseases could be prepared. The national list of essential medicines 2003 could also be used for this purpose," the concept note said.

The drugs include antacids, ulcer healing drugs, gastro-intestinal, proton pump inhibitors, anti-spasmodics and other drugs altering gut motility, motility stimulants, anti-emetics, drugs for nausea and vomiting, anti-diarrhoeal, laxatives, drugs for heart failures, anti-arrhythmic drugs, beta adrenoceptor blocking drugs, antihypertensive, calcium channel blockers, lipid lowering agents andypnotics, anxiolytics and antipsychotic among the 16 therapeutic areas.

Omeprazole, pentaprazole, dicyclomine hydrochloride, dicyclomine+mefenamic acid, cinnarizine, domperidone, metoclopramide hcl, ondansetron, loperamide hydrochloride, frusemide, hydrochlorothiazide, atenolol, verapamil, enalapril maleate, losartan potassium, metoprolol, amlodipine besylate, diltiazem, felodipine, nifedipine and verapamil are among those to be supplied by PSUs.

The private sector will be requested to supply 75 per cent of unbranded generics. Ranitidine, misoprostol, hyoscine butylbromide, bisacodyl, glycerin+sodium chloride, ispaghula, lactulose, digoxin, dobutamine hydrochloride, dopamine hydrochloride, mannitol, adenosine, amiodarone hydrochloride, esmolol, lignocaine, bisoprolol fumarate, carvedilol, clonidine, prazosin hydrochloride and sodium nitroprusside are just a few of those hundreds of drugs proposed.