New Delhi: The National List of Essential Medicines in a major step has added four major anti-cancer drugs namely Bendamustine, Hydrochloride, HCI Trihydrate, Lenalidomide, and Leuprolide Acetate to the list.
The National Committee on Medicines and Health Care Product Vice Chairman added that “ these medicines are effective in various types of cancers and these are affordable also,”.
He added that the government is working on trade rationalization so that those medicines common in cancer can come under the affordability limit.
The list has further added 34 drugs including some anti-infectives such as Ivermectin, Mupirocin, Meropenem and psychotherapeutic drug Nicotine Replacement Therapy have also been added to the National List of Essential Medicines taking the total drugs under it to 384.
The committee has further removed 26 drugs including Ranitidine, Sucralfate, White Petrolatum, Atenolol, and Methyldopa. The deletions have been done based on the parameters of cost-effectiveness and availability of better drugs.
(With Agency Inputs)