JA outlets of PMBI have not reasonably relieved Indians of Unfair MRP tags inspite PM’s extra interest in PMJABP, Why?

Jan Aushadhi drugs are not to save money only of poor but are to save for all citizens
PM is ‘single-handedly’ taking stresses on all economic & social fronts like Jan Aushadhi Pariyojna
Even after 14 years of launch Jan Aushadi Medicines have not taken even 0.5 pc of Pharma Market?
Why so when Jan Aushadhi Medicines bear very genuine price tags as compared to Branded Generic Medicines?

DAYA SAGAR

7th March 2023 was the 5th Jan Aushadhi Divas and this 1st to 7th March was observed as Jan Aushadhi week with the theme of “Jan Aushadhi Sastibhiachchibhi”.
As per a 2nd March, 2023 PIB release the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in collaboration with Pharmaceuticals &Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) (implementing agency of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) and States/ and Union Territories were celebrating 5th Jan Aushadhi Diwas 2023 under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) with great enthusiasm and fervour acrossthe country which had been kick started with Jan Aushadhi Jan Chetna Abhiyan on 1st March across the country. Release further said that medicines available under PMBJP are priced 50%-90% less than that of branded prices and during the financial year (2021-22), PMBJP has achieved sales of more than ‘Rs1100 Crore’ in the ‘current’ financial year which has further led to savings of approximately “Rs 6600 Cr. to the citizens.’
As per 1Financial Report 2021-22 of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Bureau of India ( PMBI) that is handling the marketing of the medicines and medical devices sold under the banner of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) of Deptt. of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, Govt. of India, Revenue ending year 31 March 2022 has been Rs 567 Cr (Rs 567, 57,93,922/) only and ending year 31st March 2021 has been Rs 430 Cr only ( Rs 430,09,73,403/).

Many questions need be answered like :1 Do the implementing agencies of JA Programme have any right for celebrating their ‘performance’? 2. Should not the agencies responsible to collect direct and indirect taxes to be questioned for ‘not’ taking notice of industry collecting so much of extra money and have the returns be matching ? 3. Why the government have still allowed the Pharma Companies to level their drugs with so irrational, so high and so unfair MRPs 4.Why even Government Doctors too have not ‘religiously’ taken to prescription writing by generic name ?

At the same time the 2Annual Report 2021-2022 of the Department of Pharmaceuticals Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers GOI mentions that Indian pharmaceutical industry is known for its generic medicines & low-cost vaccines providing generic medicines to more than 200 countries and India Pharma Sector output in 2020-21 was expected to be Rs 4,27,109 Crore (During 2020-21 total pharma export was Rs 80555 Cr against the total pharma import of Rs 49436 crore).
Let us not go into exactness in the figures and take the data quoted here only for idea sake to have an idea of trade share that Jan Aushadhi Campaign might have been able to secure even after 14 yrs of its launch by GOI through BPPI ( later named Pharmaceuticals &Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) for reference purposes.
The displays at the Han Aushadhi Stores say ” medicines available under PMBJP are priced 50% to-90% less than that of branded prices”.
It has to be kept in mind that the medicines / appliances sold un Jan Aushadhi include the medicines that are patent free and the MRP tags on them are not because of any subsidy from Government of India but are the prices that should be genuinely there with reasonable margins for the member pharma companies of BPPI/PMBI / associate companies who supply to PMBI with reasonable marketing margins for PMBI , Distributors / Retail outlets, To be brief it could be also said that nearly 90 to 92 % medicines sold in the Indian market could be considered as patent free worth selling as Branded generic/ Generic (by the name of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient ) and “Patented medicines” sold only under brand name of originator may on date be forming only nearly 8 to 9 % of trade segment, and so it could also be said that out of around Rs 400000 Cr ( MRP) worth market nearly Rs 360000 Cr drugs( MRP) Indian domestic market could be free from any patent rights and hence any one could manufacture and sell these as generic branded or generic medicines.
So going by the slogan ” medicines available under PMBJP at Jan Aushadhi Stores / Kendras are priced 50%-90% less than that of branded prices ” it could be said as per prevailing marketing practices a medicine strip that is marked with MRP of Rs 100/ should have been genuinely labelled with MRP of Rs 50 to as low as even Rs 10 and still reasonable margins for the trade including retailer would have been there as is being done through the medicines sold through JA Kendras.
Imagine how much extra money ‘was’ / ‘is’ being drained out from common the sick/ suffering/ caring people of India through a trade of Rs 360000 Crore ( patent free drugs ) ? even if we take the JA Store drugs being labelled with just 50% less ( not average of 50 & 90 % i,e 79%) MRP than a generic medicine being sold under brand name with the assistance of prescription writers even than Rs 180000 Cr could be said to being earned unfairly in a year by pharma companies / sellers and the amounts that have been claimed (Rs 6600 Cr for 2021-22 ) to have been saved during ‘celebrations’ of 5th Jan Aushadhi Divas stand “very very DWARF” before the loss that has been suffered by Indian population even after 14 years of start of Jan Aushadhi Campaign and that too in a country where 80 Cr population needs to be supported with the supply of 5 kg food grains every month.
(The author is Sr Journalist, social activist and analyst J&K affairs [email protected]).