Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) the numbers of life saving drugs whose prices have been decreased recently by the Government;
(b) the details of the decrease in prices in terms of percentage;
(c) whether the Government proposes to decrease the prices of more life saving drugs in the near future;
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
(e) the current status of the availability of generic medicines in the country?
MINISTER IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS
(SHRI D.V. SADANANDA GOWDA)
(a) & (b): “Life Saving drugs” are not defined in the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013). The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) fixes the ceiling prices of scheduled formulations as adopted from National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and included as Schedule - I of the DPCO, 2013.
The details of medicines under price control are as below:
(i) The NPPA has fixed the ceiling prices of 530 scheduled formulations under NLEM, 2011. The details of reduction in prices of scheduled formulations effected under the DPCO, 2013 as compared to the highest price prevailed prior to the price fixation is as below:
% reduction with respect to Maximum Price No. of drugs
0<= 5% 80
5<=10% 50
10<=15% 57
15<=20% 43
20<=25% 65
25<=30% 49
30<=35% 26
35<=40% 34
Above 40% 126
530
(ii) Further, Schedule - I of the DPCO, 2013 was amended by adopting NLEM, 2015. TheNPPA has notified the ceiling prices of 871 scheduled formulations under NLEM, 2015 including ceiling price of 5 medicines fixed recently in March, 2020. The details of reduction in prices of scheduled formulations effected under the DPCO, 2013 as compared to the highest price prevailed prior to the price fixation is as below:
% reduction with respect to Maximum Price No. of formulations
0<= 5%* 241
5<=10% 138
10<=15% 99
15<=20% 100
20<=25% 92
25<=30% 69
30<=35% 46
35<=40% 26
Above 40% 60
Total formulations in NLEM, 2015 871
(iii) The NPPA has also fixed the retail price of 1373 new drugs under the DPCO, 2013 till date.
(iv) The NPPA fixed prices of 106 Anti-diabetic and Cardiovascular drugs under Para 19 of the DPCO, 2013 in public interest.
(v) The NPPA has fixed ceiling price of Cardiac Stents being scheduled formulation under the DPCO, 2013 resulting in price reduction for Coronary Stents which worked out up to 85% for Bare Metal Stents and 74% for Drug Eluting Stents.
(vi) The NPPA has fixed ceiling price of Orthopaedic Knee Implants under Para 19 of the DPCO, 2013 in Public interest resulting in price reduction for Orthopaedic Knee Implants which worked out up to 69%.
(vii) The NPPA capped the Trade Margin of non-scheduled formulations of 42 Anti-cancer medicines under “Trade Margin Rationalization” approach as a Pilot for proof of concept, wherein price of more than 500 brands of medicines were reduced up to 90%.
(c) & (d): The fixation of the ceiling prices by the NPPA is an on-going process. As and when the formulations are included in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), their prices are fixed by the NPPA.
(e): The NPPA played a crucial role in ensuring the availability of essential drugs generic or branded at reasonable prices before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Timely and effective steps were taken to ensure availability of drugs during the lockdown period throughout the country. Shortages of drugs reported were resolved in coordination with the State Drug Controllers, ensuring availability of medicines across the country. The office of Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) is also monitoring the availability of critical drugs.
Further, with an objective of making quality generic medicines available at affordable prices to all, the Department of Pharmaceuticals has launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP). Under this scheme, dedicated outlets known as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) are opened to provide generic medicines at cheaper price to the citizens. The product basket of PMBJP comprises 1250 medicines and 204 surgicals and consumables covering all 37 major therapeutic groups such as Anti-infectives, Anti-allergic, Anti-diabetics, Cardiovascular, Anti-cancers, Gastrointestinal medicines, Neutraceuticals, etc. Presently, 825 medicines and 122 surgical and consumables are available for sale at PMBJKs.
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