Five state governments put up front to tackle the issue of rising drug prices and shortage

27 Jul 2012 Evaluate

In a first kind of an attempt by states to put up a united front at tackling the issue of rising drug prices and shortage, five state governments have came together to form an alliance to formulate common policies for drug procurement and also to share data and best practices.

The five states namely, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala decided to make collective effort to follow uniform policies for drug procurement and sharing of best practices, so that states can help out each other during emergencies. The alliance is also expected to lower the drug prices and shortage of drugs accessible to the common man.

The five states have signed Thiruvananthapuram declaration, affirming their commitment to those objectives and sharing their resources and capacities. Drugs are being sold in the open market which is sometimes 10 or 50 times higher than the actual cost. The aim is to suppress unscrupulous practices of non-state players who try to spoil government’s attempts to provide drugs at a lower rate.

The heads of the central drug procurement agencies of five states had a conference held at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The next meeting of state medical services corporation will be held in Rajasthan in October, when more states are expected to join the alliance.

© 2026 The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd. All rights reserved. MoneyWorks4Me ® is a registered trademark of The Alchemists Ark Pvt. Ltd.

×