GoM on pharma pricing to gather more feedback

The group of ministers (GoM) on the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, which met on Monday to seek feedback from various industry associations, is likely to meet again on Friday to listen to more stakeholders, before finalising a mechanism to cap the prices of essential medicines.

The GoM, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, is expected to start its final deliberations on the policy in June.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Pawar said, “We have not started discussing the basic issues because we are just giving an opportunity to others to present their views.” He added at the next meeting, too, stakeholders would give their feedback.

On Friday, two non-government organisations and member of Parliament Jyoti Mirdha would put their presentations before the GoM. Five industry organisations, including the Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India, the Indian Pharmaceutical Association and an association of chemists and druggists gave their inputs to the high-level ministerial panel on Monday.

According to an industry source privy to the development, in the meeting on Monday, the industry unanimously reiterated its views in favour of a market-based pricing mechanism and the scope of the price control to be limited to 348 drugs. The industry bodies also demanded that medicines already priced below Rs 3 a unit should be kept out of price control, he said.

The meeting was attended by Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad, Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma, Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Shrikant Kumar Jena and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

The GoM, constituted in 2009, seeks to regulate prices of 348 essential drugs and its combinations sold across the country. The panel had earlier met in April-end, but had deferred its decision on capping the prices of essential medicines due to lack of consensus among stakeholders and the ministries concerned.

The GoM’s final recommendations would be referred to the Union Cabinet. The proposal would also need the Supreme Court’s nod before it is converted into a policy.