The sixth annual general body of the Consortium of Indian Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Marketers Association (CIPMMA) in Tamil Nadu has demanded to the union health ministry to take measures to ensure availability of quality medicines in the market at affordable prices with implementation of the new drug price control order (DPCO).

It has wanted the government to take steps to make essential medicines available in the market and avoid possible shortage as there is possibility to drive them out by the vested interests within the industry.

In a resolution passed by the general body, the marketers association has further demanded to the government to reconsider the new drug pricing policy and hold discussion with industry leaders before finalizing the prices of the remaining 197 formulations.

The association found that as far as the revised prices of the 151 drugs released already by NPPA, they could be acceptable and would not do any harm for the marketers, whereas prior discussion is required before fixing the prices of the remaining formulations.

CIPMMA also adopted a resolution requesting the government to extend the date of recall of products from market following the new price order.

Later while briefing Pharmabiz about the decision of the association, the chairman A Karunai Kadal said the availability of medicines should be ensured in any situation by the government. The concept behind DPCO may be good, but it should not be reverted. He said in the neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka the MRP of all medicines is higher than that of India.

He further pointed out that some medicines under the national list of essential medicines (NLEM) are likely to be withdrawn and stopped their production by the companies as selling the products under new prices, the companies may incur big losses. “The new prices will force the entrepreneurs to stop production of a number of products, so there could be shortage of medicines in the market in future,” he opined.

NPPA has waned the manufacturers to submit the all the data containing the product details, dosage, packing and total turnover from each product. But so far the agency has not received the required data from the manufacturers, he said. He wanted the government not to reduce the margin for the retailers and the wholesalers while fixing the prices of drugs.

While delivering a lecture on DPCO 2013, A Kannan, president of CIPMMA said the existing manufacturers who are marketing a combination product before the notification, can market it with the same MRP, whereas a new manufacturer who plans to launch this type of product after the notification, it will be treated as a new drug under the new DPCO. The manufacturer has to apply in Form 1 to NPPA to get the MRP fixed for that product. He said if any of the combination drugs is there in DPCO 95, then the ceiling price fixed by NPPA will hold good for one year from the date of notification, after that it will be treated as non-scheduled drug.

The AGM was inaugurated by K Chandrasekharan, assistant drugs controller in Trichy. P Arun Prasad, secretary of CIPMMA welcomed the audience. The managing director of Mumukshu Healthcare, Mumbai Dr Shailesh Patil spoke on 'Entrepreneur essentials to succeed and scale up' in the workshop for the members.