The new initiative of National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, 'NPPA-CIFG' was launched in Chennai by the Union minister of state for chemicals, fertilizers and mines B K Handique. This is the first Centre for Information Facilitation and Grievances (CIFG) inaugurated in the country with the motto of 'Affordable Medicines for All', a dream project of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). This is a pilot project to create consumer awareness for the dissemination of information regarding drug pricing and availability as also to create online facility for lodging complaints with NPPA.

While launching the project, the minister said the NPPA is assuring supply of essential drugs to common man at an affordable price. In this regard the authority will start such centres all over the country and for the time being five more centres are being started in cities like New Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The patient should know the medicine he takes, its price, its quality and the company by which it was produced.

He said the Indian pharmaceutical industry is growing at a rate of over 12 per cent, which is much higher than the average rate of growth of the Indian economy. At present, the total value of turn over of the Indian pharmaceutical industry is around 17.5 billion US dollars with a domestic turnover of approximately 11.5 billion US dollars and exports of 6 billion US dollars. Controlling the prices of certain essential drugs make them affordable to the common man.

One of the major objectives of his ministry is to raise the public spending on health care from nearly one percent of GDP to two to three per cent over the next few years. This is important especially when viewed in the context of the WHO estimates that nearly 65 per cent of the India's population do not have ready access to healthcare. He added that availability of good quality drugs at affordable prices with a specific focus on the poor has been the constant endeavour of the Union government. In this effort the NPPA has a crucial role and the CIFG is the new initiative to materialize it.

Handique said over the years the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has grown as a regulator to make medicinal formulations more affordable and to that extent, increase access to healthcare. While doing so, the Authority has also tried to ensure reasonable returns for the industry and trade as per the DPCO, 1995. NPPA has also increased its focus on the monitoring of prices more and has made appropriate interventions, he said.

The NPPA-CIFG will function in the country with the help of NGOs. In Chennai, Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG), an NGO working in the city is the agency to conduct the functioning of the centre. This internet-based centre for information, facilitation and grievances was prepared in consultation with National Informatics Centre. The authority will provide computer hardware, scanner, laser printer, software and Internet connectivity to such centres.

Handique said the increasing threat of spurious drugs in the market is the biggest challenge the industry is facing today. The ministry will make all out efforts to check this menace. In 2004, the survey by Delhi Medical Association claimed that four out of 53 drugs sampled to be genuine.

Dr A K Banerjee, chairman of the NPPA said the centres will be funded by the Authority and the schemes will be implemented by NGOs in each state. V K Subburaju, health secretary of Tamil Nadu, K Sundaraswami, drugs controller of the state administration and Arun Jha, Member secretary NPPA were also present on the occasion.