MUMBAI: It’s rare to find three industry associations, each holding divergent views, to come together on a controversial issue. But for the first time probably in years, three pharma associations – Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA), Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA) and Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) have rallied and submitted a uniform proposal to the government, suggesting a market-based pricing model for essential medicines.
Interestingly, IPA represents the interests of the domestic home-grown industry, while OPPI fights for issues concerning multinationals.
The development comes at a time when the Group of Ministers (GoM) is slated to finalize the model for fixing retail prices of essential medicines, and when certain health groups and ministries are opposing the suggested pricing model in the national pharma policy.
Representatives of the three associations met the government last week to submit the proposal under which retail prices of medicines can be capped at the average price of the top three largest selling brands. The GoM, headed by agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, is expected to meet on April 25.