Govt developing online database to monitor drug prices

The government is developing an online database system that will require pharmaceutical companies to submit information in order to enable NPPA to control drug price effectively.
"National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is in the process of developing an online database system wherein pharma manufacturer and/or marketers would be required to submit prescribed information periodically in respect of compliance of various provisions of DPCO, 2013," Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Nihal Chand said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.
The online system will enable NPPA to effectively monitor price compliance under the Drug Price Control Order DPCO, 2103 which will ultimately benefit the consumer, he added.

Chand, however, said price approval process for new drugs is not part of the present project under development.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is responsible for fixing and revision of prices of drugs and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country.
Prices of 348 drugs under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) are currently under price control.