Lok Sabha Question No. 1557 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-11
Subject: Price Monitoring of Medicines
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Saikia Dilip, Ramesh Chander Kaushik

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1557 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th  February, 2020

## Price Monitoring of Medicines

## 1557.  SHRI DILIP SAIKIA: SHRI RAMESH CHANDER KAUSHIK:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Department  of  Pharmaceuticals  has  any  scheme  to  monitor  the prices of medicines;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government for consumer awareness on exorbitant prices of the medicines in the country;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  any  awareness  programme  regarding Suvidha Sanitary Napkin; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SHRI D. V. SADANANDA GOWDA)

- (a) & (b): Yes,  Sir.  The  National  Pharmaceutical  Pricing  Authority  (NPPA),  an independent  body  of  experts  under  the  Department  of  Pharmaceuticals  (DoP), monitors the  prices  of  Scheduled  and  Non  scheduled  drugs  in  the  country  as  per provisions  of  the  Drugs  (Prices  Control)  Order,  2013  (DPCO,  2013).  As  per provisions of  Para  16  of  the  DPCO,  2013,  pharmaceutical  companies  may increase/decrease the prices of scheduled drugs on the basis of annual Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for preceding calendar year on 1 st April every year. Further, as per provisions  of  Para  20  of  the  DPCO,  2013,  manufacturers  of  Non-scheduled formulations may increase the MRP of their formulations maximum up to 10 % of the maximum  retail  price  during  preceding  twelve  months.   If  a  company  violates  the provisions of DPCO, 2013, action for overcharging is taken against it by NPPA.
- (c): NPPA  has  launched  a  mobile  app  'Pharma  Sahi  Dam'  and  a  consumer complaint  platform  'Pharma  Jan  Samadhan'  to  disseminate  information  on  drug pricing and for handling consumer grievances. Consumer complaints are addressed through the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)  portal,  in  a  time bound  manner.  In  order  to  create  consumer awareness, there also exists a Central Sector Scheme named Consumer Awareness, Publicity and Price Monitoring (CAPPM). The Scheme is implemented at the  Central  level  by  NPPA  and  at  the  State  level  through  Price  Monitoring  and Resource  Units  (PMRUs)  set  up  by  NPPA.  CAPPM  also  creates  Consumer awareness through print and electronic media, organizing seminars etc.

(d) & (e): Yes, Sir. The awareness about the salient features of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Pariyojana  (PMBJP)  including  Janaushadhi  Suvidha  OxoBiodegradable  Sanitary  Napkin  is  being  spread  through  various  means,  such  as advertisements in Print Media, Radio, TV & Cinema and Outdoor publicity through Hoardings,  Bus  Queue  Shelter  branding,  Bus  branding,  Auto  wrapping,  etc.  In addition,  Bureau  of  Pharma  PSUs  of  India  (BPPI),  the  implementing  agency  of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) also regularly educates the  public  about  the  usages  of  Jan  Aushadhi  generic  medicines  through  various social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, etc.

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