The Narendra Modi-led NDA government is all set to take charge for its second 5-year term; and the patients, doctors and pharmacist may look forward to some noteworthy changes in the healthcare sector in near future. A report in IE has stated that the changes may include cheaper medicines, a proposal for death compensation to be claimed by patients for faulty medical devices, a significant boost to e-pharmacies along with regulatory changes such as more drug price control to make it cheaper for the patients.

The government may come up with proposals to amend the 2017 Medial Devices Rule. The previous Modi government in February 2019 had capped the margins of 42 cancer medicines at 30 percent to bring down the retail prices of more than 100 brands. This move may again feature in the 100-day plan. Another area the newly sworn in government will focus on may be the implementation of the health ministry’s regulations for online pharmacy companies. As per the current industry estimates, online pharmacy account for around 1 per cent of India’s over 1 lakh crore medicines retail industry. In spite of a strong opposition from the chemists against the regularization of e-pharmacies in India, the government may more forward towards strengthening the online pharmacy market by recognizing and regulating the e-pharmacies in India.