Drug prices cut; stores will have them after 3 months

The ceiling prices of 55 scheduled formulations and 25 others which are sold in retail level have been included in the Essential Price List but it will take at least three months for the price cut to show at medical shops.

Drugs for diabetes, hypertension, cancer, skin disorders, medicines for transplant patients and many others have been included in this list.

Mr Rakesh Gupta, president of the Telangana Chemists Association, said, “The government issues orders but does not understand that it can’t be implemented the next day. The distribution chain, packaging cycles and printings are logistics which have time-frame of three to four months.”

Chemists state that it is not possible for them to return the drugs carrying old price labels to the wholesaler or the manufacturer; patients will suffer as there will be no medicines available in the market.

A senior chemist said the Centre was issuing orders on drug prices but it was not notifying the manufacturers first.

“This must be the first step. Instead they want to first benefit to the customer without realising that the chain does not work from down upwards,” he said.

According to the TCA president said the association had given umpteen representations to the Centre to notify the manufacturers first so that they can make the changes and retailers can only follow them.