Against excessive drug price control
The reported move of the Centre to revamp (सुधार) drug price control and shore up (मजबूत करना/सहारा देना) the ease of doing business in the high-potential pharmaceuticals sector needs to be welcomed.
Rigorous (सख्त/कडा) price controls of ‘essential drugs’, currently numbering over 450, can actually discourage production and supply, and can often defeat the very purpose of easier access.
The idea that all medicines, as soon as they are included in the essential list, need to be under stringent (सख़्त/सख्त /कठोर) price controls lacks sense. Instead, it would make better sense to rationally regulate (नियमित करना /नियंत्रण करना) prices of particular drugs as and when required.
Very often, competitive pressures and sound oversight can bring down prices, and keep them subdued (अधीन किया हुआ /वशीभूत करना) going forward, in our large and growing pharma industry. It is another matter than we also need to encourage generics (read: unbranded medicines) and allow prescription (निर्देश) switching so that it is legal to switch branded medicines for generic (सामान्य/व्यापक) generics.
A mobile phone app can well ease information asymmetry; we also need proper regulation for generic generics. The way forward is to overhaul (सही करने के लिए निरीक्षण करना) the form and structure of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
We need to eschew (त्याग करना/छोड़ना/बचना) rigorous price controls that often lead to producers stopping production or, more likely, adding a molecule to the formulation to skirt (छोड़ देना/बचना) price control.
Besides, inclusion and deletion under the list of essential medicines would need to be decided as per public health requirements, with the need to have particular medicines to tackle (निपटना/सुलझाना) specific diseases, as an expert committee did elaborate (विस्तृत करना/विस्तारपूर्वक प्रस्तुत करना) last year.
The bottom line is that the Indian pharma sector, with revenues of $20 billion in 2015, has the potential to grow and reach $55 billion by 2020, with reasonable forward-looking norms.
Revamp (verb)
Give new and improved form, structure, or appearance to. सुधार करना
Synonyms: Remake, Revitalize, Remodel, Revive, Update, Renew
Example: After finding so many faults in the proposal, the committee decided to revamp it.
Shore up (phrasal verb)
To make something stronger by supporting it. मजबूत करना/सहारा देना
Synonyms: Assist, Aid, Help, Strengthen, Support
Example: Central banks try to shore the economy up by lowering interest rates.
Rigorous (adjective)
(of a rule, system, etc.) Strictly applied or adhered to. सख्त/कडा
Synonyms: Strict, Severe, Stern, Stringent, Tough, Hard, Rigid
Example: To gain entry into any Special Forces unit in the military, you must push through rigorous testing.
Stringent (adjective)
Strict, precise, and exacting. सख़्त/सख्त /कठोर
Synonyms: Strict, Rigid, Severe, Harsh, Tight, Inflexible
Example: While the traffic laws may appear stringent, they are necessary to keep the roads safe.
Regulate (verb)
Control (something, especially a business activity) by means of rules and regulations. नियमित करना /नियंत्रण करना
Synonyms: Govern, Control, Regularize, Manage, Balance, Modulate
Example: If the federal government does not regulate a certain part of the law, then the state is responsible for self-governance.
Prescription (noun)
A recommendation that is authoritatively put forward. निर्देश
Synonyms: Recommendation, Suggestion, Advice, Direction
Example: The Recommended prescriptions of the committee should be followed by every member.
Generic (adjective)
Characteristic of or relating to a class or group of things; not specific. सामान्य/व्यापक
Synonyms: General, Common, Collective, Non-Specific
Example: The generic medicines are as effective as branded ones.
Overhaul (verb)
To change (something) completely in order to improve it. सही करने के लिए निरीक्षण करना
Synonyms: Debug, Rejuvenate, Modernize, Renew
Example: This abuse resulted in an overhaul of the system that sought to tie the poor to their original parish.
Eschew (verb)
Deliberately avoid using; abstain from. त्याग करना/छोड़ना/बचना
Synonyms: Abandon, Shun, Forgo, Avoid
Example: Because I am a strict Christian, I tend to eschew events that are not religious in nature.
Elaborate (verb)
Describing with minute details. विस्तृत करना/विस्तारपूर्वक प्रस्तुत करना
Synonyms: Detailed, Extensive, Elaborate, Comprehensive, Spacious, Extended
Example: The general did not elaborate on his strategy, saying only that we would hear the details when necessary.
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