NPPA Reform Committee Includes Industry Representatives

The NPPA plays a crucial role in ensuring access to affordable medications by regulating drug prices.

May 4, 2024

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NPPA National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority — Picture: Pixabay

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Last Updated on May 13, 2024 by The Health Master

NPPA

Public health experts are raising concerns about a glaring conflict of interest in the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) recently formed “institutional reforms” committee.

The committee, tasked with revamping the NPPA and drafting a new Drug and Medical Devices (Control) Order, is heavily populated by representatives of the very industries it’s supposed to regulate.

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Industry Given Seat at the Re-Regulation Table

The committee, initially established in March 2024, included a core group of government officials alongside just two industry representatives.

However, following pressure from industry associations, the committee was significantly expanded in April to include a staggering 14 representatives from various pharma trade groups and associations.

These additions include heavyweights like:

CII,
FICCI, and
OPPI.

This move has sparked outrage among public health activists like Malini Aisola of the All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN).

Aisola emphasizes the standard practice of stakeholder consultation through hearings, not direct committee membership.

“Having industry representatives on the committee is a blatant conflict of interest,” she asserts.

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Public Interest vs. Industry Profit: A Conflict at the Core

The NPPA plays a crucial role in ensuring access to affordable medications by regulating drug prices.

The Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) is the primary tool employed for this purpose.

The current committee’s industry-heavy composition raises serious concerns about the direction of the reforms.

“The industry has consistently opposed price control, even though a limited number of drugs are actually subject to it,” Aisola points out.

She fears the committee’s recommendations will prioritize industry profits over public health needs.

This scenario, often referred to as “policy capture,” raises questions about the committee’s ability to act in the best interests of patients.

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Transparency and Accountability: The Path Forward

Public health advocates are calling for increased transparency and a more balanced committee composition.

A more inclusive approach involving patient advocacy groups and medical professionals would ensure diverse perspectives are considered during the reform process.

Only then can the NPPA be truly reformed to serve the public interest effectively.

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