In order to strengthen the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013 and for strict enforcement of its provisions throughout the country, the government should create a post of Drug Price Control Officer (DPCO Officer) for each state with pharmacy graduation as basic qualification.

For this, government should be ready for amending provisions in the DPCO, according to a suggestion given to the high level committee constituted by Department of Pharmaceuticals for ensuring enhanced accessibility of drugs to the poor patients.

According to Prof Dr Roop Narayan Gupta from Ranchi in Jharkhand, who shared his suggestions and comments with the DoP’s high level committee, for a uniform and regular compliance of DPCO throughout the country, and also to meet Para 30 of the order, a control officer for drug prices is necessary. Similar to drug controllers and state licensing authorities, a drug price control officer is required for regulating DPCO 2013 and for its compliance by all.

In addition to sharing his comments with DoP committee, Prof RN Gupta has sent his suggestions and comments to the Prime Minister and also to the Minister for Chemicals & Fertilizers. Hailing the government for announcing ceiling prices for about 700 drugs and for the control of prices for medical devices like coronary stents, he said the initiative of the government is a great relief to common masses from exorbitant prices of drugs. He said by strict regulation of DPCO, government can recover several thousand crores of rupees under DPEA (Drug Price Equalization Amount) from manufacturers due to overcharging.

Prof RN Gupta further suggested that provisions of DPCO 2013 should be made simple and easy for compliance by industry and community pharmacists. He commented that in the absence of such a regular and full time DPCO Officer, the compliance of provisions of the order could not be uniform throughout the country and its fulfillment would be very weak.

He wanted the government to provide incentives and support to pharmacy graduates to open small scale drug manufacturing firms for manufacture of generic formulations. All the public sector units (PSUs) in the country should be encouraged to enhance their capacity and supply generic drugs to meet the demands.

The department of pharmaceuticals, after forming the high level committee, has invited comments and suggestions from stakeholders including civil society organisations and NGOs working in the health sector to strengthen the regulatory provisions of the Drug Price Control Order.