Union Health Minister says Govt doesn't control essential medicines price

Mandaviya today said that the Government doesn't control prices of essential medicines.

"The Central Government hasn't increased the price of any essential medicines. The price of essential medicines is linked to the Wholesale Price Index. If WPI goes up, the price of essential medicines goes up and if it goes down, then the price comes down. The Government doesn't control prices of essential medicines," said Dr Mandaviya exclusively to ANI today.

In March 2022, the government data informed that the production and availability of essential medicines, which are included as Schedule-I of the Drugs Prices Control Order, 2013 are monitored by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) through the Drugs Control Administration of the State Governments.

The manufacturers of scheduled formulations are also required to submit quarterly returns of production/import of scheduled formulation and their bulk drugs/active pharmaceutical ingredients, the government data informed.

Regular surveys of chemists shops are conducted by the officials of the Drug Controller General (India) and the Price Monitoring and Resource Units (PMRUs) set-up in 22 States/UTs by NPPA. Whenever a shortage is reported by the State Drug Controllers or when the matter comes to the notice of NPPA, remedial steps are taken for ensuring the availability of drug by impressing upon manufacturers to rush the stocks to the places of shortage. However, no reports have been received recently by NPPA regarding the scarcity of essential medicines in the country.

In order to make the country Atmanirbhar in the pharmaceutical sector, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched the 'Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs)' with a total financial outlay of Rs. 6,940 cr.

In total, 49 applicants have been approved under the scheme, out of which 8 projects have already been commissioned. Another 'Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Pharmaceuticals' has been launched by the Department with total financial outlay of Rs. 15,000 crore to enhance India's manufacturing capabilities by increasing investment and production in the sector. In total, 55 applications have been approved under the scheme. Further, the Department has launched a scheme for 'Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks' with a total financial outlay of Rs. 3,000 cr, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba in a written reply in the Lok Sabha said in March.