In a move that would prevent MNCs such as GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), Eli Lilly, Roche and Pfizer from selling their drugs at a huge premium in India, the government may soon finalise norms for monitoring prices of costly imported patented medicines for diseases such as diabetes, arthritis, obesity, cancer and heart diseases.
The Centre is planning to open 40
The department of pharmaceuticals (DoP) has received 76 applications from domestic drug makers who are interested in supplying generic medicines at a lower price to the generic drug stores (Jan Aushadhi Stores) recently being set up by the government in several states.
TCG Lifesciences Limited has been conferred with
Mid-sized pharma firm Elder Pharmaceuticals has tied up with Australian pharma firm Global Energy Medicines (GEM) to market the latter
Mumbai-based drugmaker Wockhardt is in discussions with ICICI Venture, ChrysCapital and other private equity firms to divest a 15% stake. The country
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world’s leading provider of diagnostic testing, information and services, today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Quest Diagnostics India Pvt. Ltd. has received certificates of accreditation from the College of American Pathologists (CAP), a leading international laboratory accrediting organization, and the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), the sole government-authorized laboratory accreditation body in India, for its diagnostic and clinical trials laboratory in Gurgaon, India.
A national campaign to raise awareness about Medicare’s federal prescription drug coverage has been launched by “Medicare Today.”
The government
The government has decided to set up a retail network of drug stores across the country in public-private partnership that would sell 350 essential medicines at half the rate of its branded substitute.
US company Epocrates has produced a free downloadable medicines guide for the iPhone. In the first month of availability, the Epocrates Rx drug and formulary software was downloaded by more than 125,000 users, including 25,000 US doctors.
The government plans to launch special drug stores that will sell generic medicines as part of its efforts to provide affordable medicines to poorer sections of the society. The idea to provide cheaper but good-quality medicines to less privileged is in line with the UPA
