The 7th annual conference of the Consortium of Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Marketers Association (CIPMMA) headquartered in Tamil Nadu will demand the Narendra Modi government at the centre to fix a ceiling price for the raw materials required for the products coming under DPCO 2013. The AGM expected to pass a resolution in this regard.

Since the new government in the centre, CIPMMA has decided to approach it with the resolution it had submitted to the former health minister who ignored it without giving any consideration that separate licensing system should be brought into place for the marketing companies of pharmaceutical products. For the purpose, marketers group has started mobilising support of the new members of Parliament elected from Tamil Nadu, said A Kannan and P Arun Prasad, the president and the secretary of the Consortium.

They said the 7th AGM of CIPMMA will be held in Kodaikanal on the 22nd of this Month, and it will be attended by 250 registered delegates, nominated by district committees from across Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. M Rajaratinam, chairman of Tamil Nadu IDMA will inaugurate the AGM.

“All the marketing companies are given wholesale licences by the respective SLAs in our country. But the operations of the marketing companies are different from those of the wholesalers. So we appeal to the government of India for a separate licencing system for the exclusive marketers. Another request is about ceiling prices for raw materials. The production cost is increasing for the products under DPCO 2103. So, we request the government to fix a ceiling price for the raw materials required for such products”, said Kannan, the president.

When contacted, A Karunai Kadal, the chairman of the Consortium commented that about 50 members of CIPMMA were doing good number of businesses and had a turnover of Rs. 3-4 million per month. He said the Consortium conducts district wise business development programmes covering scientific sessions, man power management, leadership development etc for their members.

“We motivate our members by imparting knowledge about FDCs, DPCO 2013, and drugs & cosmetic rules and their latest amendments. Besides, we educate our members to have code of ethics, provide them with market potentiality for latest products and the profit margins”, said the chairman..

The office-bearers said their request for a drug testing laboratory in Madurai was considered by the state government and approval has been given. Covering all the districts, CIPMMA has a membership strength of 450 registered marketers and active district committees are functioning in Chennai, Trichy, Tanjore, Kumbhakonam, Cuddalore, Coimbatore, Madurai and Tirunelveli.