The draft National Pharmaceutical Policy has been referred to a Group of Ministers (GOM) though no timeframe has been set for its finalisation.
The draft National Pharmaceutical Policy has been referred to a Group of Ministers (GOM) though no timeframe has been set for its finalisation, Lok Sabha was informed Monday.
The policy envisages ways to make available cheaper drugs to people and the public health system as also to promote the production and marketing of generic drugs in the country, said B.K. Handique, minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers and parliamentary affairs.The policy was taken up by the cabinet at its meeting on Jan 11 and referred to the GOM which had its first meeting on April 10.
However, 74 bulk drugs and their formulations, in accordance with the drug price control order, are under price control and their prices are fixed or revised by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), the minister said.
The prices of non-Scheduled formulations are fixed by the manufacturers themselves, keeping in view various factors like cost of production, marketing and selling expenses, and market competition, he added.
Source-IANS
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