National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) list

Why in news?

• The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has released the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) list.
• It has added 34 new medicines and dropped 26 old ones from the previous list.
• A total of 384 medicines now features on NLEM 2022 under 27 therapeutic categories.
• This revised list has come out after a gap of seven years.

What is an Essential Medicines List?

• As per the World Health Organisation (WHO), Essential Medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population.
• The list is made with consideration to disease prevalence, efficacy, safety and comparative cost-effectiveness of the medicines.
• Such medicines are intended to be available in adequate amounts, in appropriate dosage forms and strengths with assured quality. They should be available in such a way that an individual or community can afford.
• Drawing an essential medicines list (EML) is expected to result in better quality of medical care, better management of medicines and cost-effective use of health care resources. This is especially important for a resource limited country like India.
• The list of essential medicines is intended to have a positive impact on the availability and rational use of medicines

About National List of Essential Medicines:

• The WHO EML is a model list. The decision about which medicines are essential remains a national responsibility based on the country’s disease burden, priority health concerns, affordability concerns etc.
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare hence prepared and released the first National List of Essential Medicines of India in 1996 consisting of 279 medicines.
• This list was subsequently revised several times
• As of 2022, 384  medicines are regulated under Schedule – I of  DPCO based on National List of Essential Medicines, 2015.

About Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013:

• As per the price control order, the NPPA is empowered to fix the ceiling price of essential medicines and medical devices — 886 in number currently.
• The order also provides for a WPI-based price change every year that pharmaceutical companies are allowed to implement.
• As per this provision, the NPPA declares the WPI change every year.
• DPCO are issued under Section 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
• National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) issued by MoHFW forms the basis Schedule I of DPCO.

Which medicines and devices are included in the NLEM?

• Some of the most common drugs and medical devices, including paracetamol tablets, azithromycin tablets, oral rehydration salts, glucose injections, contraceptives like copper IUDs, condoms, insulin injections, Vitamin C tablets, and multivitamin tablets, are in the NLEM.
• These drugs constitute around 18% of India’s aggregate domestic pharmaceutical retail market of approximately Rs 1.5 lakh crore.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Consider the following statements:

1. Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013 provides for a WPI-based price change every year that pharmaceutical companies are allowed to implement.

2. National List of Essential Medicines includes medical devises also

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer