Supply of Generic Medicines To CGHS Hospitals

Supply of Generic Medicines To CGHS Hospitals

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
LOK SABHA

STARRED QUESTION NO 84
ANSWERED ON 28.11.2014

SUPPLY OF GENERIC MEDICINES

84 . Kumar Shri Ashwini
Karandlaje Km. Shobha

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:-

(a) Whether the Government has issued instructions/directions to the doctors of CGHS hospitals/dispensaries to prescribe/ issue only generic medicines to the patients; if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;

(b) The list of medicines/formulary including generic medicines as well as those listed under the essential medicines category prescribed for CGHS beneficiaries;

(c) Whether CGHS dispensaries can issue branded/other medicines to CGHS beneficiaries, if medicines prescribed by specialist/Government hospitals are not mentioned in the list;

(d) If so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor along with the remedial measures taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and

(e) Whether the Government has revised/ proposed to revise guidelines regarding issue of medicines to CGHS beneficiaries suffering from chronic diseases upto three months at a time and if so, the details thereof?

ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House

STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 84 FOR 28th NOVEMBER, 2014

While it is the endeavour of the Government to encourage generic medicines, the present CGHS formulary includes 622 Branded medicines in addition to 1447 generic medicines. There are no specific orders for issue of only generic medicines.

If a branded medicine is advised by Specialist, medicine is issued by the brand name / generic name available at the CGHS Wellness Centre, provided the medicine has the same constitution and therapeutic efficiency. In case the medicine by any other brand / generic version is not available at CGHS Wellness Centre it is indented by the same brand name through Authorized Local chemist and supplied to the beneficiary.

CGHS is an open ended scheme and the expenditure has been increasing every year. With a view to streamline the issue of medicines , an Office Memorandum was issued vide OM No 2-2-/2014/CGHS-HQ/PPT/ CGHS(P) dated the 25th August, 2014 in this regard.

Under the revised guideline

i) CGHS provides/ indents Medicines as per the CGHS formulary, which contains 622 branded medicines and 1447 generic medicines.

ii) However, anti-Cancer and other related medicines also called Life-saving medicines shall continue to be provided on a case to case basis, subject to the condition that the medicines are approved by Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) for use in India.

The lists of the medicines under CGHS formulary which includes 622 branded and 1447 generic medicines as well as those listed under the life saving category are available on CGHS Web site at http://msotransparent.nic.in/cghsnew/index.asp and enclosed at Annexure 1, 2 & 3 respectively.

The following measures have since been taken to overcome the inconvenience caused to the beneficiaries:

i) Since, many beneficiaries were undergoing treatment and were provided certain Insulin’s and Gliptins for anti-diabetic care, it has been decided to permit issue of such medicines to ensure continuity in treatment even though they are not included in the formulary ( as an interim measure till the formulary is revised).

ii) The medicines included in the formularies of ESIC(Employees State Insurance Corporation)( 398 generic medicines) and ECHS( Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme) (517 Generic medicines) are also permitted under CGHS as an interim measure.

iii) Orders were also issued on 1.10.2014 delegating powers to CMOs i/c for providing essential medicines to CGHS beneficiaries. CMOs i/c can issue / indent medicines costing upto Rs1500 per week even though they are not included in any of the above formularies. However, in case the duration of treatment is for more than one week and the cost of medicines is more than Rs.1500/- approval of Additional Director of the concerned CGHS city must be obtained.

Medicines are issued for upto three months at a time in case of chronic diseases and upto six months in case of a CGHS beneficiary going abroad. The revised Orders were issued in this regard on 21.10.2014.

Annexure : http://164.100.47.132/Annexture_New/lsq16/3/as84.htm