Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday responded to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's comments over the rise in prices of medicines. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent "supari" remark, the Congress President has accused him of taking a "contract to loot people."
On Sunday, Kharge took to Twitter to share this graphic.
Union Health Minister responded by citing the provisions of DPCO, 2013, which was made under the UPA government. He mentioned that pharma companies are allowed to increase or decrease the prices of medicines every year according to the WPI. He said, "Regarding the cost of medicines, I would like to humbly tell some facts about the information you have given through tweet. According to the provision of DPCO, 2013 made in the UPA government, every year the pharma company increases or decreases the prices of medicines according to the WPI."
Mandaviya continued by saying that the government had revised the list and prices of essential medicines in November 2022 and that National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) had already notified the updated prices of 651 out of 870 medicines. "But in November 2022, the government revised the list and prices of essential medicines. Under DPCO, 2013, the work of revising the applicable ceiling price of such notified drugs has been initiated by NPPA. So far, new ceiling prices of 651 out of 870 essential medicines have been notified."
Mandaviya further noted that the capping was the reason due to which the ceiling price of medicines decreased by an average of 16.62 per cent and said that as a result of this, consumers will save an estimated amount of Rs 3,500 crores annually.
He then said that the companies can increase the prices of medicines with effect from April 1, 2023, to the extent of 12.12% of the valid ceiling price of 651 essential medicines linked to WPI.
"Even if the company were to increase the price in full, an average reduction of 6.73% is estimated. And, I would also like to tell that the Janaushadhi campaign being run under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a big intervention on the supply side, which has created a high competition in the market. Due to this, the pharma companies do not increase the full price in spite of the limit which is allowed to increase the price under the annual WPI. NPPA has also given information in this regard, I would like to keep that also in your mind," the Health Minister tweeted.