National List of Essential Medicines 2022 of India: Perspectives from Psychiatrists

Current status of harm reduction in India: Are we doing enough?

“…India enacted the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in 1985. [ 1 ] The NDPS Act allows the use of narcotic and psychotropic drugs such as methadone and buprenorphine for medical and scientific purposes. Although harm reduction has not been specifically referred to in the NDPS Act, the recent amendment in 2014 included the management of drug dependence in section 71.…”

“…Supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction serve as three-pronged strategies to address the problem of substance use. [ 1 ] The term “supply reduction” refers to activities intended to reduce the availability of illegal drugs by law enforcement measures and policies. They make drugs scarcer and costlier and decrease their social tolerability.…”