Department of Pharmaceuticals has put formulation of new pharma policy, ensuring affordable medicines for all, revival of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, and strengthening of NIPERs on the priority list by charting them in the 100-day action plan for the Chemicals Ministry.

The ministry will decide policy initiatives and action plan to provide all types of medicines at affordable prices used by common people throughout the country, the 100-day action plan said. The Department has come out with the plan in accordance with the direction by the prime minister to all departments to prepare a 100-day action programme and take them on priority basis.

'Formulation of new pharma policy for holistic development of pharma industry and ensure availability of essential medicines for major diseases, for all' is another important programme under the action plan. It also has included revival of IDPL to utilize idle capacity and locked investment in the public sector for production and availability of essential medicines and of mass consumption for all.

The ministry also has decided to seek cabinet clearance for full operationalisation of six new National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERS). On the research front, the ministry will prepare a comprehensive plan for creation of infrastructure facilities for R&D sector and improvement of manpower skills in the pharma sector, according to the action plan.

Both the draft national pharma policy and the proposal for Rs 441-crore financial package to revive the IDPL have been pending with the Group of Ministers. Though the panel headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar held four meetings over the last two years, the draft pharma policy could not be cleared. With the inclusion of the same in the 100-day programme by the new ministry, it is expected that the moves will begin soon on framing a policy. As expected, the ministry is likely to go for overhauling of the draft policy and forward the same to the cabinet again. The cabinet then will decide on setting yet another GoM to clear the same.

In the case of IDPL also, the GoM headed by A K Antony could not make any recommendation after several meetings. New chemicals minister M K Azhagiri is expected to take up the matter with the cabinet soon as it has been included in the list of priority programmes of the new government.

As part of his priority to ensure affordable medicines, the chemicals minister has reportedly written to the Finance Ministry recommending a scheme to provide free medicines to all BPL families and sought to include the same in the forthcoming budget.