|
A Committee under the Chairmanship of Joint Secretary(PI) was constituted to examine the span of price control (including trade margin) in the light of National Common Minimum Programme and the observations of the Supreme Court to ensure availability of life saving drugs at reasonable prices. The Committee has submitted its Interim Report to the Government and has recommended, inter-alia, intensive monitoring on the prices of all those drugs out of the selected basket (National List of Essential Medicines, 2003) which are not under price control, ceiling on trade margins of drugs, a system of price negotiations for the new patented drugs, special schemes for people below poverty line, introduction of Rajasthan Model of Life Line Fluid Stores (Hospital Pharmacy Stores run by Medicare Societies) for bulk purchase of drugs directly from manufacturer and selling them at reduced prices, compounding of offences under the Essential Commodities Act, establishment of DPCO Cells in all States on the model of Karnataka, price negotiations at the time of launching of a new patented drug, efforts to increase public awareness, wide publicities to policies and decisions of the Government and NPPA etc. Follow up action has been initiated on the recommendations of the Committee made in its Interim Report.
This information was given in Rajya Sabha today by the Minister of Chemicals & Fertilizers and Steel, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan in a written reply to a question by Shri Gireesh Kumar Sanghi and Dr.T.Subbarami Reddy.
BJ:PM
|
