Tejgaon:<Text>
The Advisory Council, led by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, has approved a comprehensive set of guidelines concerning the National Essential Drugs List and Drug Price Determination, aiming to make essential medicines more accessible and affordable for the general populace.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the meeting, which took place at the Chief Adviser's office in Tejgaon, resulted in the expansion of the Essential Drugs List. The updated list now encompasses 195 essential drugs, with 136 new additions, as outlined by Professor Dr. Md Sayedur Rahman, Special Assistant for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, during a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy.
The guidelines propose the inclusion of an additional medicine, potentially raising the number to 296 core essential drugs under stringent price control. The historic National Drug Policy of 1982 significantly boosted Bangladesh's self-reliance in pharmaceuti cals and improved medicine access for the populace, a sentiment echoed by Dr. Sayedur Rahman.
In 1994, price control was limited to 117 out of approximately 350 medicines, a system that has remained unchanged for nearly three decades. Dr. Sayedur Rahman highlighted the need for state intervention in drug pricing as nearly two-thirds of health expenditure in Bangladesh is on medicines, with no national health insurance or similar schemes in place.
Under the new guidelines, essential medicines will be sold at government-determined prices, with a revised pricing formula to ensure affordability. This regulation is expected to improve healthcare access for 80 percent of the population, as manufacturers will be required to adjust prices according to the government framework.
The government has opted for a phased implementation approach, allowing companies up to four years to align with the new pricing structure. Approximately 1,100 medicines outside the essentia l list will remain under a regulated system, with price caps in place.
The decision is described as landmark reform, resulting from over 14 months of consultations with various stakeholders, including pharmaceutical manufacturers, consumer groups, and international organizations such as the World Health Organization and UNICEF. Although complete consensus was not achieved, the policy reflects a careful balance of public interest and industrial sustainability.
The guidelines will soon come into effect following necessary government procedures, with oversight by the Drug Price Fixation Committee. Future plans include establishing an independent National Drug Pricing Authority to focus on drug price benchmarking and market monitoring.
"This decision will translate decades of industrial success in pharmaceuticals into real health benefits for the people," Dr. Sayedur Rahman stated, emphasizing that medicine prices should not hinder access. Chief Adviser's Pres s Secretary Shafiqul Alam and Deputy Press Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumder attended the briefing.
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