Union Health Minister J P Nadda during a visit to the construction site of Mother and Child/OPD Block at AIIMS in New Delhi on Sunday. (PTI Photo) Union Health Minister J P Nadda during a visit to the construction site of Mother and Child/OPD Block at AIIMS in New Delhi on Sunday. (PTI Photo)

A pilot project launched at AIIMS Delhi will sell anti-cancer drugs, cardiac stents etc at a fraction of the market rates. Called AMRIT, it will be run in association with the public sector HLL Lifecare; the pilot was launched by Union Health Minister J P Nadda Sunday.

The drugs range

“Under the AMRIT (Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment) programme, we want to give medicines at an affordable cost. We have identified 202 drugs of cancer and cardio-vascular diseases where the price is going to be reduced on an average by 60 to 90 per cent,” Nadda said. “In the same way, 148 cardiac implants will be given from the centre and sold here and their cost will be reduced by 50 to 60 per cent.”

HLL chairman and managing director Dr M Ayyappan said, “To begin with, HLL will dispense 195 oncology drugs, 186 cardiovascular drugs and 148 cardiac implants through AMRIT pharmacy. Initially, the pharmacy will retail cancer drugs. By this month-end, it will commence the dispensing of cardiovascular drugs and implants in line with the cancer drugs.”

The discount range

AIIMS officials cited the examples of Docetaxel 120mg, an injection used in the chemotherapy cycle, and Caboplatin 450mg.

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