The Centre is considering a comprehensive health insurance scheme to cover about 25 per cent of India's poor, who are below the poverty line. "We will introduce a health insurance plan for the poor under the new comprehensive drug policy that is being discussed", Sawant Reddy, Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, said on 1 st December, 2005.

In her keynote address at 'India-Africa, ASEAN and GCC Pharma & Health Conference', Reddy said a right atmosphere for a vibrant pharma industry would be created through a new drug policy. A special access programme for anti-cancer and HIV drugs was being worked out to help pharma companies involved in the development of these drugs, she said. "We are working on a host of industry-friendly measures like interest subsidy for funding of research, approval of concurrent clinical trials in India and abroad for some category of drugs," Reddy said.

An inter-ministerial committee was working on providing legal protection for data related to pharma and biotech research, she added. Indian pharma industry, now valued at $8.5 billion, would touch $25 billion mark in next five years in all probability, she said. The MRP on drugs and medicines would be made inclusive of local taxes in the benefit of the customers.

(http://economictimes.indiatimes.com)