In an effort to handle the growing pharmaceutical pricing and regulation needs, the government has notified the formation of a new department, the Department of Pharmaceuticals, under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers in the beginning of July.

The new department will be responsible for all matters relating to National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) including related functions of price control and monitoring. Ashok Kumar, chairman of the NPPA took over the secretary in the new Department of Pharmaceuticals.

According to the notification, the new department will be responsible for regulating drugs and pharmaceuticals excluding those specifically allotted to other departments, promotion and co-ordination of basic, applied and other research in areas related to the pharmaceutical sector and development of infrastructure, manpower and skills for the pharmaceutical sector and management of related information.

The department will handle the effective administration of education and training including high-end research and grant of fellowships in India and abroad, exchange of information and technical guidance on all matters relating to pharmaceutical sector, inter-sectoral coordination including coordination between organizations and institutes under the central and state governments in areas related to the subjects entrusted to the department and all matters relating to National Institutes for Pharmacy Education and Research (NIPER).

The Department of Pharmaceuticals will also play its role in promotion of public - private - partnership and international co-operation in pharmaceutical research, including work related to international conferences in related areas in India and abroad in pharmaceutical related areas. Further, it will support the industry with technology for dealing with national hazards in pharmaceutical sector and spearhead in planning, development and control of all industries dealt with by the department.

The department will also take over the onus of public sector pharmaceutical companies - Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Hindustan Antibiotics Ltd, Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Karnataka Antibiotics and Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Rajasthan Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd, states the notification.