CCI studying drug sector practices amid over availability of cheaper drugs

NEW DELHI: Fair trade regulator Competition Commission has initiated a comprehensive study of the domestic pharmaceutical industry, including prevalent pricing and selling practices, amid concerns over availability of cheaper drugs.

CCI, which keeps on anti-competitive practices at the market place, has started a study on the domestic pharmaceutical industry. A senior Commission official said the study is looking into various dimensions in manufacturing and sale of pharmaceuticals. “Various issues such as patent regime, the process of manufacturing, pricing, reasonable terms and conditions and the sale of drugs through chemists and druggists, will be looked into (in the study),” the official said.

The study comes at a time when the government is making efforts to make drugs more affordable for the common people. In this regard, the new drug policy — that could help in making more medicines cheaper — is being implemented. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has started fixing the ceiling prices for more than 300 drugs.