India moves to offer drugs at lower prices through Jan Aushadhi campaign

Cheaper generic drugs may soon be commonplace in India with the government aiming to sell around 400 medications at lower prices by this December, through its Jan Aushadhi stores.

From the current 225 unbranded generic drugs available at these stores, the government plans to add medicines to treat diabetes and cancer and have around 425 drugs available at these stores in less than a month's time, reports The Pharma Letter’s India correspondent.

The Jan Aushadhi campaign is an initiative of the Indian government to ensure access to quality medicines. A key initiative under the campaign, launched in 2008, has been to open Jan Aushadhi stores across the country whereby, unbranded quality generic medicines are sold at lower prices, but are equivalent in potency to branded expensive drugs.