Put drug price related information in public domain: Ananth Kumar to NPPA

NEW DELHI: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority needs to develop a system to bring all drug price related information, that is provided by pharma companies, in public domain, Chemicals and Fertiliser Minister Ananth Kumar said today.

The minister was speaking at the launch of an integrated pharmaceutical data base management system, developed by drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre.

The system aims to facilitate online submission of mandatory returns and reports under the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013 by manufacturers, including companies which make, import, distribute or sell drugs in the country.

".. so now today the system we have launched it will not only act as pharma price data bank but it is an house of complete information for pharma sector. Therefore I think the NPPA needs to further enhance this system or develop some other mechanism to bring all this information in public domain," Kumar said.

Under this system all pharmaceutical manufacturers have to register themselves to provide details such as production data, procurement sources and product list.

"Following the transition from DPCO 1995, which followed cost-based mechanism for price fixation, to the DPCO 2013, which follows market-based mechanism for price fixation, reference data and source of market-based data has assumed critical importance," Secretary, Pharmaceuticals, V K Subburaj said.

"So far, most of the top 100 companies have registered with the system. It will give us ample information for deciding future course of action for policies," NPPA Chairman Injeti Srinivas said.