Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Drug Price Control Order, 2013 has a provision for price revision of essential drugs;
(b) if so, the details thereof and the basis on which such revision has been undertaken indicating the revision carried out since its inception;
(c) whether the Government proposes to lower the price of the essential medicines during the current year; and
(d) 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) & (b): Yes, Madam. As per Para 16 and 18 of Drug (Prices Control) Order, 2013, the Government shall revise the ceiling prices of scheduled formulations as per the annual Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for preceding calendar year on or before 1st April of every year and notify the same on the 1st day of April every year and the revision of ceiling prices on the basis of moving annual turnover value shall be carried out in the following conditions:
(i) as and when the National List of Essential Medicines is revised by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare or five years from the date of fixing the ceiling price under this Order whichever is earlier;
(ii) when the number of manufacturers of a scheduled formulation, having price of a scheduled formulation more than or equal to seventy five percent of the ceiling price fixed and notified by the Government, has decreased by twenty five percent or more than the number of manufacturers as existing on the reference date;
(iii) when the number of manufacturers of a scheduled formulation, having prices of their scheduled formulation equal to or lower than twenty five percent of the ceiling price fixed by the Government, has increased by twenty five percent or more than the number of manufacturers as existing on the reference date.
(c) & (d): All drugs in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) are included in Schedule-1 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO-2013) and their prices are controlled. If there are any additions in the NLEM during the current year, those drugs will be brought under price control.
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