DCA warns chemists over MRP violations

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Drugs Control Administration (DCA) has warned the chemists of action if they sell medicines against the set price limits. The DCA, in the month of October, conducted checks across the State to identify whether the price orders were being followed and identified 65 violations.

DCA Director Akun Sabharwal said, "Medicines should be available to the common man at a reasonable price. To ensure that vital drugs are available at affordable prices.

The government exercises control over the prices of certain drugs it defines as ‘essential’. The Drug Pricing Policy provides the framework through which ceiling prices for these essential drugs are worked out. These price limits are given effect by passing the order referred to as the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO)."

Under the provisions of DPCO, only the prices of drugs that figure in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) were monitored and controlled by the regulator, he said. He also said that under the earlier avatar of the DPCO-995, 74 drugs were subject to price control. In the 2013 version, the number of drugs under the price control was expanded to 348, Akun Sabharwal added.