Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana

Topic: Health

Why in the news?

In a landmark victory in a court battle, the New Delhi District court has issued a permanent injunction against a resemblance in name of the organization operating in the name of “Jan Aushadhi Sangh” at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
This firm was deliberately and intentionally using a deceptively similar name of “Jan Aushadhi” a registered trademark of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India with malafide intention to create confusion in the mind of the general public and to trade over Jan Aushadhi’s goodwill.

Source: PIB

About Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana:

Its objectives include:
- To make available quality medicines, consumables and surgical items at affordable prices for all and reduce out of pocket expenditure of consumers/patients.
- To popularize generic medicines among the masses and eliminate the notion that low priced generic medicines are of inferior quality or are less effective.
- To generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in the opening of Janaushadhi Kendras.
It is implementing agency is the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI)
- PMBI was established in December, 2008 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India.
History:
- Jan Aushadhi Scheme was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in 2008 across the country.
- In 2015, the Jan Aushadhi Scheme was revamped as Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY).
- In 2016, it was again renamed as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).

Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras:

These are set up under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, which was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in November 2008.
Their objective is to provide quality medicines at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor, so as to reduce out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare.
These stores provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy as expensive branded drugs.
All therapeutic medicines are made available from Jan Aushadhi Stores.
These stores also sell allied medical products commonly sold in chemist shops so as to improve the viability of running the Jan Aushadhi store.