Parliamentary Panel reiterates recommendation to formulate price control on pandemic related medicines

New Delhi, August 11, 2022 :

The Department Related Parliamentary Standing Committee (DRPSC) on chemicals and fertilisers has stressed on its recommendation to formulate a new price control regime or amend the current price control order specific for Covid-19 and future pandemic related medicines and medical devices, in order to make the drugs affordable for the public.

It has also expressed its hope that the Central and State governments will conduct training programmes for the wider implementation of the rational use of medicines, in the backdrop of the pandemic.

The recommendations are in a latest report on the action taken by the government on its earlier recommendations on availability of medicines and medical devices for Covid management of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, under the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers.

The Committee, headed by Member of Parliament Kanimozhi Karunanidhi in an earlier report recommended that the DoP and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to frame a new price control regime specific for medicines and medical devices for Covid management where the distinction between the schedules and non-scheduled drugs may be done away with and all such medicines and medical devices are put under price control with no annual increase in prices allowed till the pandemic is entirely over in the country.

The Committee said that it hopes the DoP and NPPA will understand the gravity of the situation and will take immediate necessary action on this recommendation within a stipulated time frame and will inform the Committee about the same in the action taken replies.

However, the DoP, in its reply to the Committee explained that the NPPA controllers the medicine prices under the Drugs Prices Control Order, 2013 and while the ceiling price of scheduled formulations are fixed by the Authority, in respect of the non-scheduled medicines, it ensures that their maximum retail price is not increased by more than ten percent of what was prevalent during the preceding twelve months.

Noting the government’s response the Parliamentary Committee in its latest report tabled in the Parliament on August 8, said, “The Committee is disheartened to note that the Department has failed to convert this pandemic situation into an opportunity to make the current Drugs Price Control Regime flexible and insert clauses that address price control of non-schedule Covid-19 related medicines and medical devices.”

“The Committee believes that the Department of Pharmaceuticals has full authority as well as responsibility to make changes in these policies/orders and some concrete action has to be taken in this respect to provide affordable medicines and medical devices in the country during pandemic-like health crisis. The Committee therefore, reiterates its recommendation with respect to formulation of new price control regime or amend the current price control order, specific for Covid and future pandemic related medicines and medical devices,” it added.

Pointing to its earlier recommendation for a nationwide training programme for rational use of Covid-19 treating medicines, such as the use of remdesivir, the Committee noted that the ministry of health and family welfare has only issued advisories on rational use of remdesivir, steroids and other immunosuppressive drugs to promote rational use of Covid related drugs among State level/regional centres of excellence as well as private doctors.

However the reply furnished by the Department was silent on the recommendation of the Committee that the Union government in collaboration with the State governments should organise nationwide training programmes for all registered medical practitioners whether the government or private hospitals on the rational use of remdesivier and other Covid-19 drugs included in National Treatment Protocol.

“In this regard, the Committee hope that the Union government in coordination with State government will explore the possibility of conducting such training programme so that the guidelines on rational use of drugs can be complimented with practical knowhow among the doctors and best practices can be shared among public and private hospitals through such training programme. The Committee would like to be informed about the action taken on this recommendation in the Final Action Taken reply,” said the latest committee report. PharmaBiz