The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (PMA) of Kerala has come forward to extend support to top Kerala Health Department officials and Drug Controller, in the alleged irregularities detected by Inspection wing of State Finance Department and Auditor General in the Central Purchase Committee (CPC) purchases.

The association noted the CPC was rendering yeomen services to people of Kerala by providing drugs at prices more than 80 percent lower than that available in open market. Any attempts to derail the well functioning CPC would hinder the growth of emerging pharmaceutical industry in the state, warned the association.

The CPC bargains with the drug manufacturing companies to get maximum discount, and were offering drugs to Government hospitals and PHCs at very low prices. People demanding action against the officials should consider the fact that the Rs.60 crore odd drugs annually purchased by CPC costs over Rs.300 crore in the open market, opined Kerala PMA.

While a box of 100 paracetamol tablets costs Rs. 60 to Rs.75 in the open market, CPC procures it for only Rs. 11.40. Similarly, Ampicillin capsules costs Rs.335 for a 100 pack box in the open market, but CPC gets it for Rs.66. Same is the case with paracetamol syrup, which costs Rs.18 in the open market. CPC purchases it for just Rs.4, noted the association.

In a statement, the association noted there was no alternative before the CPC other than to purchase the Rabipur vaccine, as Abhayrab was proved sub-standard in laboratory tests.