The Medicine Shoppe, which started operations in India in February 1999 and is now the largest organised pharmacy retail chain, will launch the country’s first Super Speciality Pharmacy outlet in Mumbai on Monday, that would stock drugs for treating cancer, AIDS and organ transplant medicines, among other critical care drugs. These are not available in local chemist shops due to inadequate storage conditions, which often make such drugs lose their potency. The drugs would also be home delivered, on request, at a price below maximum retail price.
For the millions suffering from critical diseases in India, this new concept is expected to revolutionise drug delivery in the field of retailed pharmacy, by giving patients more control in the purchase and delivery of critical drugs, say medical experts. "We will also have a home delivery facility for patients with prescriptions and an option of having a trained nurse administer the same in the convenience of their homes," said Ms Arti Joshi, marketing manager, Medicine Shoppe India, while refusing to divulge any other details.
"The nurse would be provided at no extra cost while the drugs would be available at prices below MRP. The current system makes patients place orders with local hospitals which in turn contact the pharma companies for critical care drugs. These are then sold to the patients at MRP after much delay. The new concept would cut out the waiting period for patients who require critical care drugs," said sources.
Medicine Shoppe, with 88 outlets in India, would be opening such super speciality pharmacy outlets across the country in a phased manner that would distribute drugs that cater to 11 critical diseases and has targeted operating 500 pharmacies in India by 2006 through franchisees.
Now, medicines for critical diseases at your doorstep
January 30, 2006, 9:40 amGiant mall-IT park for Hyderabad
January 30, 2006, 9:33 am
IVRCL Infrastructures & Projects Ltd, one of the largest infrastructure contractors in the country, will be building a shopping mall and an IT park in Hyderabad, at an estimated cost of Rs 300 crores, E. Sudhir Reddy, the company’s vice-chairman and managing director, said.
Mr Reddy said the projects would be implemented by IVR Prime Urban Developers Ltd, a subsidiary of IVRCL. "The project is being located a stone throw away from the campus of Infosys, Microsoft, Wipro, ISB, and the Emaar golf course, and the financial district where UBS and Polaris have their facilities.
At present, 60,000-65,000 employee footfalls are available in the area, and this is estimated to grow by another 40,000 in the next couple of years as more than 150 acres have been allotted to various financial/ IT companies by the government of Andhra Pradesh," Mr Reddy said.
The project would be funded through a mix of internal accruals and debt. The projects are estimated to be completed in 36 months. The IT park would have 17 lakh sq. ft of built-up area in two buildings.
It would include parking for 3,500 cars, he said. "The company has appointed Bentel & Bentel, a South African architect firm, for the designing the mall and the IT park, and Old Mutual of South Africa has been appointed for advising on the Property management and Lease Management," he said.
Mr Reddy said the projects would be implemented by IVR Prime Urban Developers Ltd, a subsidiary of IVRCL. "The project is being located a stone throw away from the campus of Infosys, Microsoft, Wipro, ISB, and the Emaar golf course, and the financial district where UBS and Polaris have their facilities.
At present, 60,000-65,000 employee footfalls are available in the area, and this is estimated to grow by another 40,000 in the next couple of years as more than 150 acres have been allotted to various financial/ IT companies by the government of Andhra Pradesh," Mr Reddy said.
The project would be funded through a mix of internal accruals and debt. The projects are estimated to be completed in 36 months. The IT park would have 17 lakh sq. ft of built-up area in two buildings.
It would include parking for 3,500 cars, he said. "The company has appointed Bentel & Bentel, a South African architect firm, for the designing the mall and the IT park, and Old Mutual of South Africa has been appointed for advising on the Property management and Lease Management," he said.
Foreign stalls attract buyers with discounts
January 30, 2006, 9:32 am
Foreign publishers seem more generous than their Indian counterparts in offering discounts on books at the ongoing World Book Fair. While most Indian publishers are sticking to the National Book Trust of India (NBT) guidelines of a set 10 per cent discount, foreign stalls (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indian Labour Organisation (ILO), Switzerland, UNESCO, France and Germany) are offering upto 50 per cent discounts.
"Most of the foreign publishers want to sell their books as soon as possible. That’s why they are offering higher discounts," informs Zafar Ahmed, the attendant at the Oxford University Press (OUP), Pakistan stall. "Foreign stalls are offering rebates but we can’t deviate from the NBT directives (that is 10 per cent discount)," informs Sulakshna Sharma, an attendant at the OUP India stall.
The attendants at the Sri Lankan stall inform that with foreign books being expensive, it is imperative that they lower the cost of books to boost sales. A book on former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which is originally priced at Rs 900, can be purchased for Rs 400 at the Sri Lankan stall. At the ILO stall a book on European history, originally priced at 44 Swiss francs (worth about Rs 4,400), is being sold for Rs 1,800. "It involves a currency exchange discount of 50 per cent plus an additional discount of 20 per cent on any purchase," informs the attendant at the stall.
The German stall attendants say that since they are targeting students, they have increased the discount upto 35 per cent for their books. When questioned about the disparities in the discounts offered by Indian and foreign publishers, the NBT officials said that it is mandatory for every participant to follow the set rate of discount. But some tend to deviate from it. "As it concerns a violation by foreign participants, we’ll check it," said one of the NBT officials. The NBT is not offering any discounts to students this year but they are allowed free entry to the fair by showing their identity cards.
"Most of the foreign publishers want to sell their books as soon as possible. That’s why they are offering higher discounts," informs Zafar Ahmed, the attendant at the Oxford University Press (OUP), Pakistan stall. "Foreign stalls are offering rebates but we can’t deviate from the NBT directives (that is 10 per cent discount)," informs Sulakshna Sharma, an attendant at the OUP India stall.
The attendants at the Sri Lankan stall inform that with foreign books being expensive, it is imperative that they lower the cost of books to boost sales. A book on former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, which is originally priced at Rs 900, can be purchased for Rs 400 at the Sri Lankan stall. At the ILO stall a book on European history, originally priced at 44 Swiss francs (worth about Rs 4,400), is being sold for Rs 1,800. "It involves a currency exchange discount of 50 per cent plus an additional discount of 20 per cent on any purchase," informs the attendant at the stall.
The German stall attendants say that since they are targeting students, they have increased the discount upto 35 per cent for their books. When questioned about the disparities in the discounts offered by Indian and foreign publishers, the NBT officials said that it is mandatory for every participant to follow the set rate of discount. But some tend to deviate from it. "As it concerns a violation by foreign participants, we’ll check it," said one of the NBT officials. The NBT is not offering any discounts to students this year but they are allowed free entry to the fair by showing their identity cards.