JD(U) attacks NDA govt over drug pricing issue

Hitting out at the NDA government, JD(U) today said the decision to de-control prices of life-saving drugs was "inhuman" and showed that the centre was not concerned about the common man.
Speaking to newspersons here, JD(U) President Sharad Yadav alleged that the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had withdrawn the order, which kept these essential drugs under control, just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US.
"I am worried that the life-saving drugs have become expensive and are beyond the reach of the common man in the country... NPPA had withdrawn the order whereby the essential life-saving drugs were kept under control just before Prime Minister's US visit.

"After lifting the control on the prices of these medicines, the rates are increasing by leaps and bounds as a result of which these medicines will become beyond the reach of the common man," he said.
Yadav alleged that the government was waiting for the assembly elections in some states to get over after which it was going to "announce certain decisions which will further hit the poor people".
"It is inhuman on the part of the government to de-control prices of 108 life-saving drugs which are used by patients of heart, cancer, T.B, diabetes, HIV, and for respiratory diseases," he said.

"In a nutshell, the present government is unconcerned and not worried about the livelihood of common and poor people of this country," Yadav added.