Centre proposes to set up drug price monitoring cells across the country

The government proposes to set up drug price monitoring cells across the country to keep a close watch on price movements, collections, monitoring of availability of drugs, etc, which will function alongside state monitoring units and provide technical assistance to state drug controllers.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has proposed a revision / modification of the existing plan scheme of consumer awareness and publicity through print, electronic and other media.

''The units are expected to provide necessary technical assistance to the state drug controllers and NPPA towards monitoring the notified prices of medicines, price movement of scheduled / non-scheduled medicines, collection and compilation of market based data of scheduled / non-scheduled medicines, conducting training, seminars and workshops at the state and district levels for consumer awareness and publicity covering aspects relating to availability of scheduled and non-scheduled medicines at reasonable prices, care to be taken while purchasing the medicines from the chemists / retailers, availability of alternative cheaper medicines, role and function of NPPA, etc,'' the ministry of chemicals & fertilizers said in a statement.

The proposal, which has received in-principle support of most state drug controllers, is yet to be placed before the appropriate committee for approval, minister of state in the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed the Lok Sabha today.