Last Updated on September 24, 2024 by The Health Master
QR Code
The Indian pharmaceutical industry, a cornerstone of the country’s healthcare sector, is grappling with a significant challenge: the implementation of government-mandated QR code authentication for the top 300 drug brands.
While this initiative aims to enhance consumer safety and combat the scourge of counterfeit medicines, it has come at a substantial financial cost to the industry.
The Financial Burden of QR Code Implementation
The government’s directive, issued under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), required pharmaceutical companies to equip their manufacturing facilities with the necessary infrastructure to print QR codes on the packaging of their products.
This infrastructure, including Local Area Networks (LAN), printers, cameras, software licenses, and the implementation of QR code technology itself, is estimated to cost over ₹1 crore per brand.
The high cost of compliance has placed a considerable financial burden on the industry.
Many pharmaceutical companies, especially smaller players, are struggling to absorb these additional expenses without compromising their profitability.
Financial Support
In response to the financial strain, industry leaders have urged the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to introduce financial support measures.
They have proposed that the NPPA allow companies to claim an additional 30 paise per formulation that includes QR code authentication.
This would help offset the significant costs incurred by the industry in complying with the government mandate.
This request for financial support is not without precedent.
A few years ago, the government implemented a similar scheme allowing pharmaceutical companies to claim additional costs for including holographic stickers on certain drug formulations.
Industry leaders argue that a comparable incentive is necessary to promote wider adoption of QR code technology and ensure compliance without jeopardizing profitability.
Lack of Public Awareness: A Major Hurdle
Despite the pharmaceutical industry’s efforts to implement QR codes, a significant challenge remains: a lack of public awareness.
While the primary objective of QR codes is to empower consumers to verify the authenticity of their medicines, few patients are aware of this new feature.
As a result, pharmaceutical companies have not seen a surge in authentication requests from consumers.
This means that the costly investments made by the industry are not translating into the desired consumer safety benefits.
Disclaimer: This article contains information derived from the source mentioned below. Our team utilized an AI language model to rewrite and present the news or article in a unique format.
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