Coronavirus: NPPA asks manufacturers, importers to provide information on masks

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on Wednesday asked manufacturers and importers of surgical and protective masks to furnish information regarding these items by March 20 on account of coronavirus outbreak.

The government on March 13 declared face masks and hand sanitisers as essential commodities for the next 100 days as it stepped up efforts to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check the spread of coronavirus disease.

The Centre has also invoked the Disaster Management Act to ensure price regulation and availability of these items.

Due to the current situation of novel coronavirus outbreak, the NPPA in exercise of powers under the para 29 of Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013 and the provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005 hereby directs all the manufacturers/importers of surgical and protective masks to furnish the information at an early date, not later than March 20, 2020, the regulator said in an office memorandum.

The information that has to be provided in a prescribed format for the submission of data for the surgical and protective masks, it added.

As per the form, the companies will have to provide information about their address, and details such as the category of the mask, its brand and whether they are manufactured/marketed or imported.

The companies will also have to mention the pack size, average price at first point of sale per pack excluding of GST as in October, 2019, moving annual turnover for August 2019, MRP per pack inclusive of GST as in October 2019 and applicable GST rate.

Last week, the NPPA directed all manufacturers and importers of surgical and protective masks, gloves and hand sanitisers to furnish information on these items by March 17, 2020.

The regulator on Tuesday had asked manufacturers and importers of surgical and protective masks, gloves and hand sanitisers to furnish information regarding them by the end of Wednesday, failing which it said it will have to take a coercive action.