Lucknow. After complaints of huge difference between the purchase price of medicines and the selling price of medicines sold to patients in UP's hospitals and retail markets, the UP Food Safety and Drug Administration has taken strict action. According to the new order issued by Dr. Roshan Jacob, Commissioner of Food Safety and Drug Administration (FSDA), now all the retail drug shops and pharmacies running in hospital premises of the state will have to make public the complete price details of the medicines on their official website. The main objective of this step is to bring transparency in drug prices and protect patients from overcharging.
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Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drugs Administration (FSDA) Commissioner IAS Dr. Roshan Jacob has sent an important letter to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to stop the expensive drug game and control arbitrary drug prices. Roshan Jacob has demanded that Trade Margin Capping should be implemented across the country to check prices of medicines that are way above the procurement cost.
After investigation of 214 pharmacies of medical colleges and private hospitals in UP, it was found that the MRP of expensive injections for many serious diseases (like infection, cancer) was being charged 5 to 67 times more than their purchase price. For example, an injection worth ₹74 was being sold for around ₹4,980 (MRP). FSDA Commissioner, citing the rules of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO)-2013, has urged to bring complete transparency in the prices of medicines so that exploitation of patients can be stopped.
Information about purchase and sale rates of medicines will have to be given on the website.
Especially the rules have been made very strict for such pharmacies operating in hospital premises, where patients and their families have no other option to buy medicines, medical equipment or nutrition products. Referring to Article 25 of the Drug Price Control Order-2013, it has been made clear that it is mandatory for the drug sellers to make public the price list received from the manufacturer or importer. Therefore, pharmacies will have to clearly mention the medicine manufacturer name, brand name, generic name, purchase rate for the hospital and selling rate for the patient on their website.
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Politics started heating up on this matter
This decision has come at a time when the politics of the state had started heating up after the robbery in the name of state medicine was exposed. This entire matter was raised loudly by Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav. He termed it a failure on the part of the government and demanded strict action.
Imitation and adulteration will be controlled
FSDA believes that if there is a huge difference between the purchase price and MRP, there is a suspicion of the medicine being substandard, fake or adulterated, which will be curbed by this system.
License, Pharmacist details, stock update also necessary
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To ensure 100% transparency, in the guidelines issued for the homepage of the website and the pharmacy premises, it will be necessary to display the name, registration number and photo of the pharmacist appointed by the pharmacy or hospital on the main page of the website. The full name of the pharmacy, license number, name of the license holder and address of the registered premises will remain public. Apart from this, every pharmacy will have to update the information about the stock of medicines available with it on its website every week.
QR code and app link will be installed on the counter
For the convenience and easy access of patients, FSDA has given strict instructions for the use of technology. Under this, the QR code or link of the mobile app will be prominently displayed at drug shops and hospital pharmacy counters. Patients or their relatives will be able to directly reach the website of the pharmacy by scanning the QR code from their mobile and will be able to check the actual purchase and sale rate of the medicine being purchased on the spot. Preparations are on to implement this system in UP from November 1.