26 medicines removed from Essential Medicines list

Over cancer concern!

On Tuesday, Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya released a revised National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), in which 384 drugs from 27 categories do not feature, including ranitidine - often taken for acidity and other stomach-related ailments and sold under brand names like Rantac, Zinetac and Aciloc, but removed now over cancer-causing concerns.

As many as 34 drugs -including some anti-infectives like ivermectin, mupirocin and nicotine replacement therapy - have been added to the NLEM, taking the total drugs under it to 384.

According to the information given by the News agency, PTI said endocrine medicines and contraceptives fludrocortisone, ormeloxifene, insulin glargine and teneliglitin had also been added to the list. Montelukast, which acts on the respiratory tract, and ophthalmological drug Latanoprost are also in the list.

As per the statement given by the health minister he announced a price cap on commonly-used drugs and said some antibiotics, vaccines and anti-cancer drugs would now be “more affordable and accessible” in an effort to “reduce patients' out-of-pocket expenditure”.

“The National List of Essential Medicines is being published today. Based on that... the National Pharma Pricing Authority will set its ceiling price... it is also based on this that it is decided no company increases price (of essential medicines) on its own.”

Adding more, he said“It's a very long process. All the work is done by an independent committee. Interacted with more than 350 experts and 140 consultations,” Mandaviya said on the new NLEM.