Alleging that provisions of Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013 are continuously violated in West Bengal by several drug manufacturing companies and their C&F Agents, the All India Chemists and Distributors Federation (AICDF) has appealed to the chairman of the NPPA to intervene in the case and monitor the drugs supply system in Kolkata.

This is the second time within one year, AICDF approaches the national price regulator appealing for its interference because of non-compliance of DPCO provisions by manufacturers.

This time, apart from pointing to the violations of companies, the national trade body has gone to the extent of alleging against the enforcement officials of West Bengal also.

According to the Federation, the state drug regulators and the CDSCO office are not bothered about the DPCO violations by the manufacturers. The enforcement body in Kolkata is not properly enforcing the drug laws and manufacturing companies are not complying to the provisions of the drug price control order, sources informed Pharmabiz.

In a letter sent to the office of the national price regulator, Joydeep Sarkar, general secretary of AICDF has said that the law violating companies are not concerned about the regulatory body in the state. Despite so many complaints made against them by the law abiding wholesale traders, the manufacturers are continuing their unlawful activities. They are denying supplying life saving medicines to the legitimate wholesalers.

Although the violations are obvious, the drug regulatory body is not keen to act against the erring companies. Last year, AICDF had brought the same kind of unethical businesses and DPCO violations to the attention of the NPPA by certain companies including Abbot India and the price regulator intervened in the issue and settled the matter.

In the letter, Joydeep further alleged that if any complaint was made against any company with the Kolkata office of the regulatory authority, the concerned officers did not give attention to it. Whereas in the official website, the case would be uploaded, but no further action, he alleged.

In the second letter to the NPPA, the national trade body has mentioned the name of one manufacturing company based in Kolkata and alleges that the particular company is deliberately harassing a wholesale dealer, Bulbul Medicine Enterprises, by misusing the demand draft made for payment against purchase of different medicines.