Lok Sabha Question No. 4047 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-20
Subject: Drug Production
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: N.K. PREMACHANDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 4047 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20 th  March, 2018

## Drug Production

4047. SHRI N.K. PREMACHANDRAN:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of rate of increase in the production of drugs and pharmaceuticals in the country during the last three years;
- (b)  the details  of  rate of  increase  in  the  import  of drugs  and  pharmaceuticals to India during the above mentioned period;
- (c) the rate of increase of price of drugs and pharmaceuticals during the said period;
- (d) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that the lifesaving medicines are  not  available  in  rural  areas  and  if  so,  the  action  taken  by  the  Government  for ensuring the availability of life saving medicines in rural areas; and
- (e) whether the Government proposes to fix and publish the price of all the drugs and its availability and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS; MINISTRY  OF  SHIPPING  AND  MINISTRY  OF  CHEMICALS  AND  FERTILIZERS (SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

- (a):  The  production  details  of  Drugs  and  Pharmaceuticals  is  not  maintained  by  the Department.  However,  based  on  the  report  of  the  All  Indian  Origin  Chemists  & Distributors  Ltd.'s  Advanced  Working,  Action  and  Correction  System  (AWACS),  the details of rate of increase in the production of drugs and pharmaceuticals in the country during the last three years is as under:
- (b):  The  details  of  India's  imports  of  Bulk  Drugs,  Drug  intermediates  and  Drug formulations, Biologicals during last three years is as under:

|             | Year ended Dec 15   | Year ended Dec 16   | Year ended Dec 17   |
|-------------|---------------------|---------------------|---------------------|
| Growth rate | 14%                 | 11%                 | 6%                  |

| Years   |   Total import (Rs. cr) |
|---------|-------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                 29394.1 |
| 2015-16 |                 31585.6 |
| 2016-17 |                 29516.5 |

(Source: DGCIS Kolkata)

Based on the Data available from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), Kolkata, the rate of import increased by approximately by 5% during  2014-15,  increased  by  approximately  7%  during  2015-16  and  decreased  by approximately 6.5% during the year 2016-17.

- (c):  National  Pharmaceutical  Pricing  Authority  (NPPA)  revised  the  ceiling  prices  in respect  of  scheduled  drugs  after  incorporating  WPI  @  3.849%  during  the  year  2014 (w.e.f 01.04.2015) and 1.97186% for the year 2016 (w.e.f. 01.04.2017). NPPA has also notified  the  revised  ceiling  prices  of  scheduled  formulations  for  the  year  2015  after applying WPI of (Minus) 2.7105%. As for non-scheduled formulations the manufacturers are not allowed to increase their price more than 10% per annum.
- (d): The Drug (Prices Control), Order, 2013 does not contain the definition of life saving drugs. However, the availability of medicines is regularly monitored by the NPPA mainly through  Drugs  Control  Administration  of  State  Governments.  Whenever  shortage  is reported by the State Drug Controllers or when the matter comes to the notice of NPPA, remedial  steps  are  taken  for  ensuring  availability  of  drugs  by  impressing  upon manufacturers to rush the stocks to the places of shortage.
- (e): All the ceiling prices fixed and notified by NPPA are put up on its website. Further, NPPA  has  launched  an  android  version  of  Mobile  App  named  Pharma  Sahi  Daam which  helps  consumers  to  check  the  ceiling  prices  of  medicines  to  verify  whether medicines are being sold within the approved price range and also to detect any case of overpricing by pharmaceutical company/ chemist. In case of overpricing the consumer can lodge a complaint through Pharma Jan Samadhan website (http://nppaindia.nic.in/redressal.html).

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