Mandaviya highlights benefits of fixing of medicine prices

Fixing of medicine prices has resulted in Rs 11,000 crore benefit to people, Minister of State for Chemical and Fertilisers, Mansukh L Mandaviya told Rajya Sabha. The Minister, who was replying during the Question Hour, said that to make medicines affordable, the government capped prices of 855 medicines and some medical devices. He said the government has notified the Drug (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) to control and regulate the prices of medicines in the country.

The prices of drugs are fixed by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority as per the provisions of DPCO and it does not distinguish between patented and non-patented drugs for fixing the ceiling prices of scheduled medicines, he said.

(With inputs from agencies.)