Question : Drug Production

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

(a) the details of rate of increase in the production of drugs and pharmaceuticals in the country during the last three years;
(b) the details of rate of increase in the import of drugs and pharmaceuticals to India during the above mentioned period;
(c) the rate of increase of price of drugs and pharmaceuticals during the said period;
(d) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that the lifesaving medicines are not available in rural areas and if so, the action taken by the Government for ensuring the availability of life saving medicines in rural areas; and
(e) whether the Government proposes to fix and publish the price of all the drugs and its availability and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS; MINISTRY OF SHIPPING AND MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SHRI MANSUKH L. MANDAVIYA)

(a): The production details of Drugs and Pharmaceuticals is not maintained by the Department. However, based on the report of the All Indian Origin Chemists & Distributors Ltd.’s Advanced Working, Action and Correction System (AWACS), the details of rate of increase in the production of drugs and pharmaceuticals in the country during the last three years is as under:
Year ended
Dec 15 Year ended
Dec 16 Year ended
Dec 17
Growth rate 14% 11% 6%

(b): The details of India’s imports of Bulk Drugs, Drug intermediates and Drug formulations, Biologicals during last three years is as under:

Years Total import
(Rs. cr)
2014-15 29394.09
2015-16 31585.59
2016-17 29516.49
(Source: DGCIS Kolkata)
Based on the Data available from the Directorate General of Commercial Intelligence and Statistics (DGCIS), Kolkata, the rate of import increased by approximately by 5% during 2014-15, increased by approximately 7% during 2015-16 and decreased by approximately 6.5% during the year 2016-17.
(c): National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) revised the ceiling prices in respect of scheduled drugs after incorporating WPI @ 3.849% during the year 2014 (w.e.f 01.04.2015) and 1.97186% for the year 2016 (w.e.f. 01.04.2017). NPPA has also notified the revised ceiling prices of scheduled formulations for the year 2015 after applying WPI of (Minus) 2.7105%. As for non-scheduled formulations the manufacturers are not allowed to increase their price more than 10% per annum.
(d): The Drug (Prices Control), Order, 2013 does not contain the definition of life saving drugs. However, the availability of medicines is regularly monitored by the NPPA mainly through Drugs Control Administration of State Governments. Whenever shortage is reported by the State Drug Controllers or when the matter comes to the notice of NPPA, remedial steps are taken for ensuring availability of drugs by impressing upon manufacturers to rush the stocks to the places of shortage.
(e): All the ceiling prices fixed and notified by NPPA are put up on its website. Further, NPPA has launched an android version of Mobile App named Pharma Sahi Daam which helps consumers to check the ceiling prices of medicines to verify whether medicines are being sold within the approved price range and also to detect any case of overpricing by pharmaceutical company/ chemist. In case of overpricing the consumer can lodge a complaint through Pharma Jan Samadhan website (http://nppaindia.nic.in/redressal.html).
xxxxx