NATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PRICING AUTHORITY (NPPA)

Focus: GS-III Industry and Infrastructure

Why in news?

On the foundation day of National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers congratulated NPPA for working tirelessly to ensure availability of life-saving drugs at reasonable prices consistently.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is a government regulatory agency that controls the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was constituted by Government of India Resolution dated 29th August, 1997.
• NPPA is Neither a Statutory nor a Constitutional Body.
• NPPA acts as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers as an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.
• The NPPA regularly publishes lists of medicines and their maximum ceiling prices (Drug Price Control Orders DPCO).

NPPA is propelling Digital India mission by:

1. Pharma Sahi Daam– App to check prices of medicines
2. Pharma Jan Samadhan– Public grievance system to help people resolve their problems.
3. Pharma Data Bank– Online information collection from Pharma manufacturers.”

Functions of NPPA

1. To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
2. To deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority.
3. To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
4. To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulations.
5. To undertake and/ or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/ pharmaceuticals.
6. To recruit/ appoint the officers and other staff members of the Authority, as per rules and procedures laid down by the Government.
7. To render advice to the Central Government on changes/ revisions in the drug policy.
8. To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to the drug pricing.