NPPA to have regional advisory forums, policy proposal to be finalized next week
Joe C Mathew, New Delhi

The new pharmaceutical policy, likely to be finalized by the Union Chemicals and Fertilizers Ministry next week, may unveil a plan to remodel the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The idea would be to turn its functioning more transparent by inducting representatives from consumer organizations, industry associations and other stakeholders into the advisory board of the authority. The policy may also spell out plans for regional advisory committees with respective state drugs controllers, health secretaries, regional pharmaceutical industry representatives and consumer organizations as its members.

According to sources, the new policy would attempt to strengthen NPPA and thereby make drug price monitoring more effective. A major lacuna that had curtained the powers of NPPA was the absence of active DPCO cells at the state level. The reasons given by the state drug authorities for ignoring DPCO cells included lack of sufficient staff to absence of financial support. The suggestions outlined in the new policy to strengthen the functioning of state DPCO cells may take care of these problems.

It is known that the C & F ministry has proposed complete reimbursement of DPCO cell related expenses to the state drug control departments for a period of five years. However, the C&F ministry proposal to bear the establishment and maintenance costs of state DPCO cell is yet get cabinet clearance, it is learnt.

The policy is also likely to suggest the setting up of a high level pricing committee to oversee the price fixation and revision aspects. As reported, the highlights of the policy would be a comprehensive price control / monitoring mechanism that covers all 360 drugs under the National Essential Medicines List. Preferential treatment to public sector pharmaceutical units may also figure in the policy. The ministry of C & F is known to have identified 102 drug formulations that could be sourced from the drug PSUs.

A high level meeting, to be convened next week, is likely to finalize the policy proposals of the ministry, it is learnt.

Courtesy : www.pharmabiz.com
16.5.2006

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