Health minister releases National List of Medicines 2022. Check full list here

In a post on Twitter, Mandaviya said, “Several antibiotics, vaccines, anti-cancer drugs and many other important drugs will become more affordable and reduce patients’ out-of-pocket expenditure.”

“…National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) plays an important role in ensuring accessibility of affordable quality medicines at all levels of healthcare. This will give boost to cost-effective, quality medicines and contribute towards reduction in out-of-pocket expenditure on healthcare for the citizens,” the ministry’s statement quoting Mandaviya.

Speaking at the occasion,the minister said the “essential medicines” are those that satisfy the priority health care needs, based on efficacy, safety, quality and total cost of the treatment. The primary purpose of NLEM is to promote rational use of medicines considering the three important aspects i.e., cost, safety and efficacy.

It also helps in optimum utilisation of healthcare resources and budget; drug procurement policies, health insurance; improving prescribing habits; medical education and training for UG/PG; and drafting pharmaceutical policies. In NLEM, the medicines are categorised based on level of healthcare system as- P- Primary; S- Secondary and T- Tertiary, the health ministry said.

Mandaviya said the concept is based on the premise that a limited list of carefully selected medicines will improve quality of health care, provide cost-effective health care and better management of medicines.

He added that the NLEM is a dynamic document and is revised on a regular basis, considering changing public health priorities as well as advancement in pharmaceutical knowledge. The National List of Essential Medicines was first formulated in 1996 and has been revised in 2003, 2011, and 2015.

The revision of NLEM 2022 has been done after constant consultation with stakeholders spanning from academia, industrialists and public policy experts etc., and crucial documents like WHO EML 2021.

The following criteria are followed for inclusion in NLEM:

1. Be useful in diseases which is a public health problem in India

2. Be licensed/ approved Drugs Controller General (India) (DCGI)

3. Have proven efficacy and safety profile based on scientific evidence

4. Be comparatively cost effective

5. Be aligned with the current treatment guidelines

6. Recommended under National Health Programs of India. (e.g. Ivermectin part of Accelerated Plan for Elimination of Lymphatic Filariasis 2018).

7. When more than one medicine are available from the same therapeutic class, one prototype/ medically best suited medicine of that class to be included.

8. Price of total treatment is considered and not the unit price of a medicine

9. Fixed dose combinations are usually not included

10. Vaccines as and when are included in Universal Immunization Program (e.g. Rotavirus vaccine).

1. 5-aminosalicylic acid (Mesalazine/Mesalaine)2. 5-Fluorouracil3. 6-Mercaptopurine4. Abacavir5. Abacavir (A) + Lamivudine (B)6. Acetazolamide7. Acetylsalicylic acid8. Actinomycin D9. Activated Charcoal10. Acyclovir11. Adenosine12. Adrenaline13. Albendazole14. Allopurinol15. All-trans retinoic acid16. Alprostadil17. Amikacin18. Amiodarone19. Amitriptyline20. Amlodipine21. Amoxicillin22. Amoxicillin (A) + Clavulanic acid (B)23. Amphotericin Ba) Amphotericin B (conventional)b) Lipid Amphotericin Bc) Liposomal Amphotericin B24. Ampicillin25. Anti-D immunoglobulin26. Anti-rabies immunoglobulin27. Anti-tetanus immunoglobulin28. Arsenic trioxide29. Artemether (A) + Lumefantrine (B)30. Artesunate31. Artesunate (A) + Sulphadoxine Pyrimethamine (B)32. Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)33. Atazanavir (A) + Ritonavir (B)34. Atorvastatin35. Atracurium36. Atropine37. Azathioprine38. Azithromycin39. Baclofen40. Barium sulphate41. BCG vaccine42. Bedaquiline43. Bendamustine Hydrochloride44. Benzathine benzylpenicillin45. Benzoyl peroxide46. Benzylpenicillin47. Betamethasone48. Betamethasone (valerate)49. Bicalutamide50. Bisacodyl51. Bleomycin52. Bortezomib53. Budesonide54. Budesonide (A) +Formoterol (B)55. Bupivacaine56. Buprenorphine57. Buprenorphine (A) + Naloxone (B)58. Caffeine59. Calamine60. Calcium carbonate61. Calcium folinate62. Calcium gluconate63. Capecitabine64. Carbamazepine65. Carbimazole66. Carboplatin67. Carboxymethyl cellulose68. Cefadroxil69. Cefazolin70. Cefixime71. Cefotaxime72. Ceftazidime73. Ceftriaxone74. Cefuroxime75. Cetirizine76. Chlorambucil77. Chlorhexidine78. Chloroquine79. Cholecalciferol80. Ciprofloxacin81. Cisplatin82. Clarithromycin83. Clindamycin84. Clobazam85. Clofazimine86. Clomiphene citrate87. Clomipramine88. Clonazepam89. Clopidogrel90. Clotrimazole91. Cloxacillin92. Clozapine93. Coagulation factor IX94. Coagulation factor VIII95. Coal tar (A) + Salicylic Acid (B)96. Colchicine97. Condom98. Co-trimoxazole [Sulphamethoxazole (A) + Trimethoprim (B)]99. Cryoprecipitate100. Cyclophosphamide101. Cycloserine102. Cyclosporine103. Cytosine arabinoside104. D- Penicillamine105. Dabigatran106. Dacarbazine107. Daclatasvir108. Dapsone109. Darunavir110. Darunavir (A) + Ritonavir (B)111. Daunorubicin112. Delamanid113. Desferrioxamine114. Dexamethasone115. Dextran-40116. Diazepam117. Diclofenac118. Dicyclomine119. Diethylcarbamazine120. Digoxin121. Diltiazem122. Dinoprostone123. Diphtheria antitoxin124. Dobutamine125. Docetaxel126. Dolutegravir127. Domperidone128. Donepezil129. Dopamine130. Doxorubicin131. Doxycycline132. DPT vaccine133. DPT+ Hib+ Hep B vaccine134. Efavirenz135. Enalapril136. Enoxaparin137. Entecavir138. Erythropoietin139. Escitalopram140. Esmolol141. Ethambutol142. Ethinylestradiol (A) + Levonorgestrel (B)143. Ethionamide144. Ethyl alcohol (Denatured)145. Etoposide146. Fentanyl147. Ferrous Salts (A) + Folic Acid (B)148. Ferrous salts149. Filgrastim150. Fluconazole151. Fludrocortisone152. Flunarizine153. Fluorescein154. Fluoxetine155. Fluphenazine156. Folic Acid157. Framycetin158. Fresh frozen plasma159. Furosemide160. Fusidic acid161. Gadobenate dimeglumine162. Gefitinib163. Gemcitabine164. Gentamicin165. Glimepiride166. Glucose167. Glucose(A) + Sodium chloride (B)168. Glutaraldehyde169. Glycerin170. Glyceryl trinitrate171. Glycopyrrolate172. Griseofulvin173. Haemodialysis fluid174. Haloperidol175. Halothane176. Heparin177. Hepatitis B immunoglobulin178. Hepatitis B vaccine179. Homatropine180. Hormone releasing IUD181. Human chorionic gonadotropin182. Human normal immunoglobulin183. Hydrochlorothiazide184. Hydrocortisone185. Hydrogen Peroxide186. Hydroxocobalamine187. Hydroxychloroquine188. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose189. Hydroxyurea190. Hyoscine butylbromide191. Ibuprofen192. Ifosfamide193. Imatinib194. Insulin (Soluble)195. Insulin Glargine196. Insulin Intermediate Acting (NPH)197. Insulin Premix Injection 30:70 (Regular : NPH)198. Iohexol199. Ipratropium200. Irinotecan HCI Trihydrate201. Iron sucrose202. Isoflurane203. Isoniazid204. Isosorbide dinitrate205. Ispaghula206. Itraconazole207. IUD containing Copper208. Ivermectin209. Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine210. Ketamine211. Labetalol212. Lactulose213. Lamivudine214. L-Asparaginase215. Latanoprost216. Lenalidomide217. Letrozole218. Leuprolide acetate219. Levetiracetam220. Levodopa (A) + Carbidopa (B)221. Levofloxacin222. Levonorgestrel223. Levothyroxine224. Lignocaine225. Lignocaine (A) + Adrenaline (B)226. Linezolid227. Lithium228. Loperamide229. Lopinavir (A) + Ritonavir (B)230. Lorazepam231. Magnesium sulphate232. Mannitol233. Measles vaccine234. Mebendazole235. Medroxyprogesterone acetate236. Mefenamic acid237. Mefloquine238. Meglumine diatrizoate239. Melphalan240. Meropenem241. Mesna242. Metformin243. Methotrexate244. Methylergometrine245. Methylprednisolone246. Methylrosanilinium chloride (Gentian Violet)247. Methylthioninium chloride (Methylene blue)248. Metoclopramide249. Metoprolol250. Metronidazole251. Midazolam252. Mifepristone253. Miltefosine254. Misoprostol255. Montelukast256. Morphine257. Moxifloxacin258. Mupirocin259. Mycophenolate mofetil260. N-acetylcysteine261. Naloxone262. Natamycin263. Neostigmine264. Nevirapine265. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)266. Nifedipine267. Nitrofurantoin268. Nitrous oxide269. Noradrenaline270. Norethisterone271. Nystatin272. Omeprazole273. Ondansetron274. Oral poliomyelitis vaccine275. Oral rehydration salts276. Ormeloxifene (Centchroman)277. Oxaliplatin278. Oxygen279. Oxytocin280. Paclitaxel281. Pantoprazole282. Para- aminosalicylic acid283. Paracetamol284. Paromomycin285. Peritoneal dialysis solution286. Permethrin287. Pheniramine288. Phenobarbitone289. Phenoxymethyl penicillin290. Phenylephrine291. Phenytoin292. Phytomenadione(Vitamin K1)293. Pilocarpine294. Piperacillin (A) + Tazobactam (B)*295. Platelet rich plasma/ Platelet concentrates296. Podophyllin resin297. Potassium chloride298. Potassium permanganate299. Povidone iodine300. Pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM)301. Praziquantel302. Prednisolone303. Primaquine304. Procaine Benzylpenicillin305. Proparacaine306. Propofol307. Propranolol308. Protamine Sulphate309. Pyrazinamide310. Pyridoxine311. Quinine312. Rabies vaccine313. Raltegravir314. Ramipril315. Red blood cells/ Packed RBCs316. Ribavirin317. Riboflavin318. Rifampicin319. Ringer lactate320. Risperidone321. Ritonavir322. Rituximab323. Rotavirus vaccine324. Salbutamol325. Salicylic acid326. Sevoflurane327. Silver sulphadiazine328. Snake Venom Antiseruma. Soluble/ liquid polyvalentb. Lyophilized polyvalent329. Sodium bicarbonate330. Sodium chloride331. Sodium nitrite332. Sodium nitroprusside333. Sodium thiosulphate334. Sodium Valproate335. Sofosbuvir336. Somatostatin337. Spironolactone338. Streptokinase339. Streptomycin340. Succinylcholine341. Sulfasalazine342. Sumatriptan343. Surfactant344. Tacrolimus345. Tamoxifen346. Telmisartan347. Temozolomide348. Tenecteplase349. Teneligliptin350. Tenofovir (A) + Lamivudine (B)351. Tenofovir (A) + Lamivudine (B) + Dolutegravir (C)352. Tenofovir (A) + Lamivudine (B) + Efavirenz (C)353. Tenofovir Alafenamide Fumarate (TAF)354. Tenofovir Disproxil Fumarate (TDF)355. Terbinafine356. Tetanus toxoid357. Thalidomide358. Thiamine359. Thiopentone360. Timolol361. Tiotropium362. Tramadol363. Tranexamic acid364. Trastuzumab365. Trihexyphenidyl366. Tropicamide367. Tuberculin, Purified Protein derivative368. Valganciclovir369. Vancomycin370. Vecuronium371. Verapamil372. Vinblastine373. Vincristine374. Vitamin A375. Warfarin376. Water for Injection377. Whole blood378. Xylometazoline379. Zidovudine380. Zidovudine (A) + Lamivudine (B)381. Zidovudine (A) + Lamivudine (B) + Nevirapine (C)382. Zinc Sulphate383. Zoledronic acid384. Zolpidem

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