Apropos the report "Drug price cuts not applied" (August 5), how is it that prominent pharmaceutical companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Cipla, Pfizer and Sanofi have not bothered to comply with the order of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, fixing the new prices of 348 essential medicines with the direction that all companies must comply within 45 days of the price notification? The companies are selling these medicines on the old prices even after 50 days of the notification. Patients on regular medication had high hopes of a substantial relief as prices of medicines were to drop. It is reported that prices of 50 more medicines are to be revised soon. The order for revision of prices would be meaningless unless its implementation is monitored and ensured.
M C Joshi Lucknow
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