384 Drugs On The National List Of Essential Medicines
The Union Health Ministry on Tuesday released the National List Of Essential Medicines 2022, which contains 384 drugs across 37 therapeutic categories. “Several antibiotics, vaccines, anti-cancer drugs and many other important drugs will become more affordable and reduce patients’ out-of-pocket expenditure”, the ministry tweeted after releasing the list.
The National List Of Essential Medicines 2022 (NLEM) will include the medicines that satisfy the health care needs based on efficacy, safety, quality and total cost of treatment. This medicine list aims to ensure the affordability and accessibility of quality medicines for the population.
The essential medicines list is categorised based on the primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.
Also Read: Mental Health Survey
NLEM 2022 is categorised as follows:
- The Drugs Controller General India (DCGI) will approve medicines.
- The medication shall be helpful in disease that is a public healthcare problem.
- The price of the medicines is comparatively less.
- These medicines shall be recommended under the National Health Program.
- The price of total treatment will be considered, but the unit price of the medicine will not be charged.
- Vaccines shall be included in the Universal Immunization Programme.
The NLEM is revised every three years. It was last revised in 2015, and the next revision was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the NLEM is prepared after the consultation of 350 experts, including stakeholders from academics, industrialists & public policy and other crucial people. A total of 140 meetings took place before finalising the NLEM 2022.
From a total of 384 medicines, 34 have been added to the list, and 26 drugs removed. A few added medicines are Amikacin, Delamanid, Meropenem, etc., and the removed ones are Refabutin, Atenolol, Cetrimide, Erythromycin, and many others.
