(a) whether the Government is considering to bring essential drugs under the price control;and
(b) if so,the steps taken by the Government in this regard and names of all such drugs?
(a) whether the Government is considering to bring essential drugs under the price control;and
(b) if so,the steps taken by the Government in this regard and names of all such drugs?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS AND MINISTER OF STATE IN THE
MINISTRY OF MINES (SHRI B.K. HANDIQUE)
(a) & (b): The Supreme Court vide its interim order dated 10-3-2003 in SLP (C) No. 3668/2003
directed the Government, inter alia, to `consider and formulate appropriate criteria for ensuring
essential and life saving drugs not to fall out of price control and further directed to review
drugs which are essential and life saving in nature till 2nd May, 2003`. As per the directions of
the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare reviewed the National Essential Drugs
List 1996 and brought out the National List of Essential Medicines 2003 (NLEM 2003),Keeping in
view the directions of the Supreme Court it has been proposed in the draft National Pharmaceuticals
Policy-2006 that basket of drugs for price control would be the formulations of specified strength
of essential medicines as contained in the NLEM 2003 (subject to certain exemptions) in addition
to the 74 bulk drugs and formulations thereof which are at present under price control under the
Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995.
This Policy was submitted before the Cabinet for its approval.The Cabinet considered the Policy in
its meeting held on 11-1-2007.It was decided that the matter may, in the first instance,be
considered by a Group of Ministers (GOM).GOM has since been constituted under the Chairmanship of
Shri Sharad Pawar,Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Consumer Affairs,Food & Public
Distribution.GOM has held three meetings so far on 10-4-2007,12-9-2007,30-1-2008 and 30.4.2008.GOM
is yet to make its recommendations to the Cabinet.