The National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy, 2012 lays down the regulatory framework for pricing of drugs

The National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy, 2012 (NPPP, 2012) lays down the regulatory framework for pricing of drugs. The key principles for regulation of prices in the said policy are (i) regulation on the basis of essentiality of drugs, (ii) regulation of prices of formulations only, i.e., medicines used by consumers and not the upstream products such as bulk drugs or intermediates, and (iii) regulation through market-based pricing as against cost-based pricing under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995. The details of the policy are available in the Gazette notification dated 7th December 2012 of the Department of Pharmaceuticals

[https://egazette.gov.in/(S(cjt0i1uouyc1bl3ozo3jx3qk))/ViewPDF.aspx].

As per the information provided by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has signed agreements or memorandum of understandings on regulatory cooperation with other international agencies, including with such agencies in Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Germany, Guyana, Japan, Netherlands, Russian Federation, Suriname, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom and United States of America and the Drug Regulatory Authority of BRICS.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Smt Anupriya Patel in Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a question today.