Question : NEW DRUG POLICY

(a) whether Government have conducted any study to find out the extent to which the new drug policy and price control regime have been effective in preventing the drug companies from getting undue profits, increasing production and ensuring availability of life saving drugs at reasonable prices;

(b) if so, the details thereof alongwith the lacuna discovered in the implementation of new drug policy and price control regime;

(c) the action likely to be taken by the Government in this regard;

(d) the extent to which the steps taken by the Government in this regard have been successful;

(e) whether any PIL has been filed in Bangalore High Court in this regard; and

(f) if so, the present status thereof?

THE MINISTER OF CHEMICALS & FERTILIZERS ( SHRI SUKHDEV SINGH DHINDSA )

(a) to (f) : A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

Statement referred to in reply to parts(a) to (f) of the Lok Sabha Starred Question No.121 for answer on 26.11.2002 regarding New Drug Policy.

(a) to (f) : A Public Interest Litigation in Karnataka High Court has resulted in an order dated 12.11.2002 which stops the Government from implementing the price control regime of the Pharmaceutical Policy-2002. It is, therefore, not possible to assess the impact of the new drug policy so far as the price control aspect of the policy is concerned.