Janaushadhi stores to sell nutraceuticals

The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) Kendras have added nutraceuticals products, including protein powder and bar, malt-based food supplements and immunity bar for its customers.

About Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP)

  • The PMBJP currently offer a product basket of 1,451 drugs and 240 surgical instruments. Currently, 8,675 PMBJP Kendras function in districts across the country with three IT-enabled warehouses in Gurugram, Chennai and Guwahati and another one ready to start operations in Surat.
  • The government has set a target to increase their number to 10,500 by the end of March 2025, along with six warehouses.
  • Under the PMBJP being implemented by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, a medicine is priced on the principle of maximum of 50% of the average price of the top three brands of the said medicine.
  • Thus, the prices of Jan Aushadhi medicines are cheaper at least by 50% and in some cases, by 80% to 90% of the market price of the branded medicines.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority

  • The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority under the Department of Pharmaceuticals regulates the prices of all drugs, whether branded or generic.
  • While it fixes the ceiling price of scheduled medicines specified in the first schedule of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, in case of non-scheduled medicines, the manufactures are free to fix the maximum retail price (MRP) of the drug.

What are Nutraceuticals?

  • Nutraceuticals are products, which other than nutrition are also used as medicine.
  • A nutraceutical product may be defined as a substance, which has physiological benefit or provides protection against chronic disease.
  • Nutraseuticals, in contrast to pharmaceuticals, are substances, which usually have not patent protection.
  • Both pharmaceutical and nutraceutical compounds might be used to cure or prevent diseases, but only pharmaceutical compounds have governmental sanction.
  • Some popular nutraceuticals include ginseng, Echinacea, green tea, glucosamine, omega-3, lutein, folic acid, and cod liver oil. Majority of the nutraceuticals possess multiple therapeutic properties.

GS TIMES UPSC PRELIMS & MAINS CURRENT AFFAIRS BASED BASICS  DAILY ONLINE TEST CLICK HERE

CLICK HERE DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS QUIZ FOR STATE CIVIL SERVICES

Written by 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *