The national drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has invoked Para 3 of the DPCO (Drug Price Control Order)-2013 for ensuring the consistent supply of medicines and medical devices in the country.
According to para 3 of DPCO-2013, NPPA may give directions to manufacturers of active pharmaceutical ingredients or bulk drugs or formulations with a view to achieve adequate availability or stock and to regulate the distribution of drugs and in case of emergency or in circumstances of urgency or in case of non-commercial use in public interest, direct any manufacturer of any active pharmaceutical ingredient or bulk drug or formulation to increase the production and to sell such active pharmaceutical ingredient or bulk drug to such other manufacturer(s) of formulations and to direct formulators to sell the formulations to institutions, hospitals or any agency as the case may be.
The notification said that, “In exercise of the powers conferred by sections 3 and 5 of the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (10 of 1955), the Central Government hereby directs that National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, established vide Government of India in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers Resolution No. 33/7/97-PI-I dated the August 29, 1997, published in Part I, Section 1 of the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, shall also exercise the functions of the Central Government in respect of paragraph 3 of the Drugs Prices Control Order, 2013 in addition to the functions specified in the Orders of the Government of India, in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers number S.O. 1394 (E), dated the May 30, 2013 and S.O. 528(E), dated 15th February, 2016.”
Invoking of Para 3 of DPCO-2013 will assist the drug pricing regulator to resolve issues associated with the availability, supply and shortage of drugs and medical devices.
