New Delhi: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has said it is actively monitoring drug prices under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO), and has not received any complaints regarding the sale of loose or unpackaged medicines at prices exceeding their per-unit maximum retail price (MRP).
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel said that under the DPCO, 2013, every drug manufacturer is mandated to print the MRP on the label of the formulation container. Dealers are also prohibited from selling any loose quantity of medicines at a price higher than the proportionate per-unit cost.
The minister said the NPPA continuously tracks the prices of scheduled formulations and takes action against companies found overcharging consumers. Monitoring is carried out through multiple channels, including inputs from Price Monitoring and Resource Units (PMRUs) established in states, reports from State Drugs Controllers, market database assessments, samples purchased from the open market, and complaints received through grievance redressal mechanisms.
Responding to concerns about consumer exploitation, the minister clarified that the NPPA has not received any complaints related to overpricing of loose medicines from any source, including from Maharashtra.
The government reiterated that enforcement action under the DPCO is initiated whenever violations are detected, and that the existing regulatory framework is aimed at protecting consumers from unfair pricing practices in the pharmaceutical sector.
