Centre asks state govts to open generic drug stores
India Blooms News Service
New Delhi, Aug 17 (IBNS) The Centre has asked all state government to open generic drug stores, said Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Srikant Kumar Jena on Friday.
"All State Governments have been requested to open Jan Aushadhi Stores in their respective States for which all necessary assistance in terms of financial assistance and medicines are being provided by the Department through Bureau of Pharma Public Sector Undertakings of India (BPPI)," Jena said in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.
He said under the Jan Aushadhi Campaign of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, 319 generic medicines, in various dosage forms, covering various therapeutic categories are under the range of supply through Jan Aushadhi Stores, spread over eleven States/UT.
"The Department is regularly reviewing the progress of the Jan Aushadhi Campaign, particularly availability of medicines and coverage of the therapeutic categories," said Jena.
"The generic drugs being sold at the Jan Aushadhi Stores are equivalent in terms of efficacy, potency and bio-availability as that of the branded medicines. However, in terms of prices, generic medicines are much cheaper as compared to the branded medicines," he said.
