The Centre today said that it will open three thousand outlets across the country to sell generic drugs. Replying to a calling attention motion in the Lok Sabha on the situation arising out of hike in prices of life saving drugs and prevalence of spurious drugs resulting in serious health hazard, Chemicals and Fertilisers Minister Ananth Kumar said that the government is committed to promote use of generic drugs.

Mr Kumar said, he has written to the Chief Ministers and Health Ministers of the States to open outlets of generic drugs in the district hospitals too. Responding to the concerns of members, Mr Kumar said that the prices of essential drugs have not increased but it has come down significantly.