Now, check MRPs of medicines with NPPA app
Public will now be able to track the medicines they have been prescribed, their availability and prices through a new application on their smartphones.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has introduced the new application known as ‘Pharma Sahi Daam’ that will help consumers to know the prices of antibiotics (scheduled medicines) as well as vitamins and supplements, (non-scheduled medicines) which are under price regulation after the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
A senior health official said it will be easier for the consumers to verify whether medicines are being sold within the approved price range and can also detect any case of overpricing by pharmaceutical companies and chemists.
“The application is specially developed by the NPPA to provide information on the prices of scheduled medicines that are under price regulation as well as nonscheduled medicines. It also provides information about the nearest chemists and has the list of Jan-Anushadhi stores in nearby areas because of which it will be easy for consumers to get the medicines,” added Bhupendra Singh, Chairman, NPPA.
The application provides a list of medicines according to ailments and with the change in prices after the GST. Apart from tracking the percentage of change in the cost of medicines, consumers can complain in case of non-availability of medicines.
“Even after the implementation of the GST if the medicines are unavailable, customers can file a complaint with the name of the drug, dosage, the names of the manufacturing company and the chemists,” the health officer said.
The official added that medicines are available in sufficient quantity and people should immediately complain if any pharmacist is charging them extra or claims of unavailability of a medicine.
“Prices of around 78 per cent of all actively used and traded drugs in the country are going to remain unaffected post-GST,” an NPPA official said.
The consumers can complain on the helpline number 1800111255 and WhatsApp number 9695736333.
With the new app, the drug pricing body seeks to hold drug companies and medicine retail outlets more accountable to patients.
Retailers and manufacturers will come to know that they cannot take consumers for granted, Bhupendra Singh said, adding that pharmaceutical companies and industry leaders should help in making the medicines reach the common people at low prices.
NPPA’s new app is in line with the two-pronged strategy of the government to provide low-cost medicines to the common man — one is through regulating the prices by NPPA and another by opening Jan Aushadhi Stores.