Drug Advisory Forum Meet

First meeting of the Drug Advisory Forum was held on 11-02-06. The meeting was chaired by Mr. Ram Vials Paswan, Union Minister, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.

The Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers was represented by the Secretary, Jt. Secretary (PI) and Dy. Secretary. The Ministry of Health was represented by the Drugs Controller General (I).The States were represented by the Health Minister, Gujarat, State Health Secretaries and State Drugs Controllers.

The pharma industry was represented by OPPI, IPA, IDMA, CIPI and chemists Association.

Representatives from NGO were also invited.

The discussion was focused around the following points.

(1) Options other than DPCO for price control of drugs.
(2) Fixing of Ceiling on trade margins.
(3) High trade margins on certain drug formulations.
(4) 354 essential drugs, monitoring their prices or fixing their MRP and making available to NPPA cost data of these drugs which are not scheduled drugs as per DPCO.
(5) Reduction of excise duty on drugs. The Minister informed that the matter is being followed up with the Ministry of Finance. The Union Secretary, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals informed that she had a meeting with the Revenue Secretary on this subject recently stressing need for such an amendment.
(6) Increase in the limit for excise free clearances for small scale units.( same as at 5 above)
(7) Labels on drugs be in such a manner so that name of the drug, mfg date, expiry date and MRP appears both in English and Hindi. This was decided to be implemented w.e.f. 01-04-06 and to be fully complied with by Oct. 2, 2006.
(8) Printing of MRP on labels inclusive of all the taxes. This was decided to be implemented from 01-04-2006 and shall be completed by August 15, 2006.
(9) The Minister also asked the manufacturers to insert a slip containing consumer – friendly tips in the language easily understood by the consumers. This should be in the form of an information slip different from the prescribing information and shall carry information such as anti-dotes, side- effects, negative effects, contra indications.
(10) The Minister took note of the suggestion of Mr. P.K. Gupta Co-Chairman, CIPI for creation of a fund with proceeds from excise duty on drugs instead of 2% health cess proposed to be imposed on Government Taxes.

An other meeting is proposed to be held with the Hon’ble Minister on 22-02-06. where a list of 50 drugs shall be submitted by the Association of Chemists and Druggists where trade margins are very high. The Associations of manufacturers including CIPI shall provide cost data to substantiate that their margins are reasonable

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