The pharmaceutical industry in principle agreed to the Government proposal to supply medicines at half the rates of MRP for floating comprehensive health insurance scheme for the people below the poverty line as being planned by the Centre.

Industry sources said that the leading organisations representing the manufacturers have agreed to the proposal by the Chemical Ministry to extend subsidised drugs for the poor families. However, they asked the Government to specify the modalities of the schemes to mitigate maximum confusions.

The working group, constituted by the Pharmaceutical Advisory Forum had its meeting in the second week of July and would again meet on August 16 to take the plan ahead. Besides the officials, the representatives from major pharma organisations also took part in the meeting.

The industry sources indicated that they had no qualms with regard to helping the poor and were ready to support the scheme. However, the definition of the family like including in-laws and the maximum number of dependents should be clarified.

The Government is proposing to float the scheme for the BPL families and the immediate dependents within. However, it is likely to take many more months to see the comprehensive scheme in place. The next meeting is expected to moot some frameworks, based on the existing models.

The panel, headed by Joint Secretary in the Chemicals Minister G S Sandhu, already sat through proposals finalised by Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab in this regard. The panel has the health secretaries from the States of Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar and Mizoram, representatives of four pharma associations, Drug Controller of Gujarat, representatives of AIOCD, consumer bodies and insurance companies as members.

The Advisory Forum and later the Drug Consultative Committee had suggested approaching the Prime Minister to seek 20 per cent of the local development fund of MPs for the purpose of floating medical insurance schemes. The amount thus could be tapped will be to the tune of Rs 300 crore an year, a solid sum to pay the insurance premium and funding the drug banks.