Four major anti-cancer drugs and 30 others have been added to National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

The Vice Chairman of Standing National Committee on Medicines and Health Care was quoted by ANI saying, “Four Anti-cancer drugs have been added to the list like Bendamustine Hydrochloride, Irinotecan HCI Trihydrate, Lenalidomide and Leuprolide acetate, these medicines are effective in various types of cancers and these are affordable also.”

He further said that the government is working on trade rationalization to make those medicines which are used for common cancer can come into an affordable limit.

Meanwhile, some anti-infectives such as Ivermectin, Mupirocin, Meropenem and psychotherapeutic drug Nicotine Replacement Therapy have also been added in NLEM.

These take the total drugs under NLEM to 384.

According to the list, hormones, other endocrine medicines and contraceptives Fludrocortisone, Ormeloxifene, Insulin Glargine and Teneliglitin, Medicine acting on the respiratory tract Montelukast and ophthalmological drug Latanoprost, cardiovascular medicines Dabigatran and Tenecteplase have been added to it.

Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “Union Health Ministry is taking various steps under the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji towards Sabko Dawai, Sasti Dawai. In this direction, the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) plays an important role in ensuring the accessibility of affordable quality medicines at all levels of healthcare. This will give a boost to cost-effective, quality medicines and contribute towards a reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare for the citizens.”

Apart from these, 26 drugs such as Ranitidine, Sucralfate, White Petrolatum, Atenolol and Methyldopa, and many more have been removed from the revised list.

The removal was done based on parameters of cost-effectiveness and availability of better drugs.