Pharma awareness centres opened in Chennai, Mumbai

NEW DELHI: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has opened two consumer awareness centres - Centre for Information, Facilitation and Grievances (CIFG) - in Chennai and Mumbai.

Consumers may register their complaints against a pharmacist or a pharmaceutical company for charging more than the specified price of the medicine. NPPA determines and regulates prices of a number of medicines containing 74 bulk drugs.

The idea is to disseminate information on the availability and the notified prices of the medicines under price control of the drug price regulator. These centres would also create consumer awareness and facilitate individual consumers, doctors and organisations to lodge online complaint to NPPA directly from these centres.

The move will also help the drug price regulator to collecting information on overcharging of medicines under price control, sale of decontrolled medicines without price approval and non-availability of any medicine in these states. The NPPA is also committed to take action on such complaints within 30 days of receiving them.