Union health ministry on 13 September dropped 26 drugs in the new revised list released by National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) including ranitidine and other stomach-related ailments.
Earlier in 202O, the United States’ Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had recalled all ranitidine products — injectable and oral — following the revelation of low-level N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) presence.
A study published by the Indian Journal of Pharmacology found out N-Nitrosamines are associated with stomach, esophagus, nasopharynx, and bladder cancers.
ALSO READ: Anti-cancer drugs to be more affordable as 34 new meds added in essential medicines list
Anti-infectives like ivermectin, mupirocin and nicotine replacement therapy related 34 drugs have been added to the NLEM, taking the total drugs under it to 384.
Endocrine medicines and contraceptives fludrocortisone, ormeloxifene, insulin glargine and teneliglitin had also been added to the NLEM list, said PTI. Also, Montelukast, which acts on the respiratory tract, ophthalmological drug Latanoprost, Cardiovascular medicines Dabigatran and Tenecteplase are also included, the PTI report said.
In an effort to reduce patients’ out-of-pocket expenditure, the Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced a price cap on commonly-used drugs. He said some antibiotics, vaccines and anti-cancer drugs would now be ‘more affordable and accessible’.
“The National List of Essential Medicines is being published today. Based on that… the National Pharma Pricing Authority will set its ceiling price… it is also based on this that it is decided no company increases price (of essential medicines) on its own,” Mandaviya said on the new NLEM.
“It’s a very long process. All the work is done by an independent committee. Interacted with more than 350 experts and 140 consultations,” he added.
This is the full list of medicines removed from the NLEM 2022:
1. Alteplase
2. Atenolol
3. Bleaching Powder
4. Capreomycin
5. Cetrimide
6. Chlorpheniramine
7. Diloxanide furoate
8. Dimercaprol
9. Erythromycin
10. Ethinylestradiol
11. Ethinylestradiol(A) + Norethisterone (B)
12. Ganciclovir
13. Kanamycin
14. Lamivudine (A) + Nevirapine (B) + Stavudine (C)
15. Leflunomide
16. Methyldopa
17. Nicotinamide
18. Pegylated interferon alfa 2a, Pegylated interferon alfa 2b
19. Pentamidine
20. Prilocaine (A) + Lignocaine (B)
21. Procarbazine
22. Ranitidine
23. Rifabutin
24. Stavudine (A) + Lamivudine (B)
25. Sucralfate
26. White Petrolatum
With agency inputs.
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