Drug distributors push for cap on margins

There was face-off between big players and small ones

Distributors present in the pharmaceutical policy meet, held in New Delhi on Wednesday, agreed to the government’s idea to cap trade margins to make drugs affordable.

Suresh Ranka, a representative from the  All India Chemists and Distributors Federation, said that for branded drugs they have advised the government to cap margins at 25 per cent for retailers and at 12 per cent for wholesalers. This means if a distributor buys a drug at Rs 66, he can sell it to a retailer at Rs 75 and a patient can buy it at Rs 100.

“For generic drugs, we would like