Centre likely to consider drug pricing policy proposal

21 Sep 2012 Evaluate

In continuation with UPA government’s strong string of policy reforms, the group of ministers headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is likely to finalize on drug pricing policy proposal within next two weeks and accordingly it will be sent to the cabinet for final approval. The GoM will study pricing tactics followed by emerging countries like Mexico, South Africa, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka on essential medicines, before considering drug pricing in India.

The panel will consider pricing of essential drugs which people cannot afford. Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Srikant Jena has pointed out that the board may include nearly 348 drugs in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM). Currently, the centre is controlling the price of 72 bulk drugs and formulations, through the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). The GoM will also constitute of Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Minister for HRD Minister, Communications and IT, Kapil Sibal, and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, apart from Pawar, Jena and Khurshid.

The UPA government had failed to frame policy for price control of essential drugs in its previous term. Though it had circulated a draft last year, it was stuck due to differences between ministries of health and chemicals and fertilizers.

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