After nearly 10 months since its last meeting, the much awaited Pharma Advisory Forum meeting will be held on April 23 in New Delhi. Though the meeting is routine in nature, its has some significance this time as the government may get the direct feedback from the stakeholders on the excise duty cut in the Union budget.

Senior officials from chemicals ministry, health ministry, NPPA, NIPER, health ministers and secretaries from different states and union territories, state drug controllers and representatives from other related fields may attend the meeting. Besides, the meeting will be attended by various industry associations.

The Forum was set up by the central government for a better interaction between the government, the industry and the stakeholders over several issues. In the April 23rd meeting, the main agenda will be the feedback from the stakeholders about whether the industry has passed on the budget sops to the consumers by reducing the drug prices.

The meeting would also discuss the status of two committees set up in the first meeting on May 15 last year and the follow-up actions on its recommendations including earmarking 20 per cent of local development funds of MPs and MLAs for taking up health insurance schemes and setting up of drug banks.

The first meeting had also constituted two sub-panels for health insurance and consumer awareness campaigns. The sub-committee, headed by a joint secretary in the chemicals department, to explore possibilities of floating more health insurance schemes and modalities of drug banks, had a couple of meetings but could not make considerable headway in finalizing a concrete proposal so far.

The other sub-group, chaired by NPPA chairman, held some consultations with NGOs and other groups to frame modalities of consumer awareness campaigns. It was also expected to recommend on hiring an agency to run the same. Both the panels will submit status reports, if not recommendations in the meeting, sources said.