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.
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