Govt to SC: Cabinet may take up pharma policy on Nov 15

The pharma pricing policy is now moving faster as the Supreme Court keeps a close watch. The government told the apex court today that cabinet will consider the pricing policy on November 15 and the final policy will be notified by November 25.

The final timelines were drawn up today after the apex court slammed the government for being 'non-committal' on finalising the price control of essential drugs.

While the Supreme Court stayed away from commenting on pricing structure based on NGO -- All India Drug Action Network's arguments to stick to the currently-used cost based pricing formula -- the government said, the cabinet will also consider the 1999 Drug Price Control order before finalising the policy.

The GoM recommended the more competitive market driven pricing and there is a general concern by the industry that in the cost based pricing, unavailability and disparity of cost data will limit benefits.

The Supreme Court will now hear the matter on November 27.