Lok Sabha Question No. 3855 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-11
Subject: Subsidising the Medicines
Ministry: CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
Asked by: Gurjeet Singh Aujla

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

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3855 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 th  August, 2023

## Subsidising the Medicines

## 3855. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  reduce  the  prices  of  3rd  and  4th  generation antibiotics mainly used after surgery so as to reduce the gap in Wholesale Landing price and
- MRP to control the profit shared by doctor, hospital, pharmacist and agents;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  subsidize  the  medicines  used  to  treat  chronic diseases  like  diabetes,  cardiac  issues,  kidney  failure,  liver  failure,  arthritis,  etc.  which  are usually  expensive  and  to  control  the  practices  by  specialists  who  get  their  own  brands manufactured which are only available with them and is an innovative way to fleece the poor; and
- (d) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS (SHRI BHAGWANTH KHUBA)

(a)  to  (d): The  National  List  of  Essential  Medicines  (NLEM)  of  the  Ministry  of  Health  & Family Welfare (MHFW) is incorporated in the Schedule-I of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013  (DPCO,  2013).  The  formulations  under  Schedule-I  of  DPCO,  2013  are  mentioned according to their therapeutic category. There is no separate classification of antibiotics based on the generations i.e., 3 rd or 4 th generation Antibiotics. However, the Section 6.2 of ScheduleI of DPCO, 2013 deals with the class, 'Antibacterials', which includes 95 formulations of 27 medicines. Out of these, ceiling price for 74 formulations have been fixed under NLEM 2022 and 11 formulations under NLEM 2015 as on 31.07.2023 by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority ( NPPA).

The ceiling price of the medicines listed in Schedule-I is fixed by NPPA, and it includes the scheduled drugs used for the treatment of diabetes, cardiac issues, kidney diseases, liver failure and arthritis.The details of prices fixed by NPPA are available on the website of NPPA i.e., nppaindia.nic.in

Ministry of Health and family welfare has informed that the safety, efficacy and quality of the medicines, whether branded or generic, imported or manufactured for sale, distribution in the country are required to comply to the same standard as specified in the Second Schedule of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Rules. Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 has been amended making it mandatory that the application for grant of license for a drug formulation containing single active ingredient shall be made only in proper name. Amendments have been made  in  the  Drugs  and  Cosmetics  Rules,  1945  for  making  it  mandatory  that,  in  case  the applicant intends to market the drug under a brand name or trade name, the applicant shall furnish an undertaking in Form 51 to the Drug licensing authority that such or similar brand name or trade name is not already in existence with respect to any drug in the country and the proposed brand name or trade name shall not lead to any confusion or deception in the market.

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