Last Updated on February 13, 2025 by The Health Master
Drug price
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) of India has issued directions mandating all medical stores and pharmacies, including online platforms, to publicly display their list of drug prices.
The NPPA has issued this directive with the aim of ensuring consumers are not overcharged for drugs.
Background:
Background of this directive is that online pharmacies were refusing to display the list of drug prices, mentioning a loophole in the Drugs (Price Control) Order, 2013.
This order of NPPA states that price lists must be displayed “on a conspicuous part of the premises,” where online pharmacies argued that this clause did not apply to their virtual platforms.
NPPA Clarifies:
The NPPA has now clarified that the term “premises” extends to all channels of business, including online pharmacies and platforms, websites, mobile applications, and any other electronic mode of operation.
This clears all doubts about the premises, and now all online pharmacies must display their price lists prominently on their websites and mobile applications so that it can be easy for consumers to compare prices across different platforms.
Benefits for Consumers:
This move of NPPA empowers consumers to make their choices about the drugs they want to purchase.
They can now easily compare prices of drugs, and they can choose the most affordable prices of drugs they want to purchase.
The requirement to display a list of drug prices online also gives more transparency in the pharma market and the availability of more affordable prices of drugs.
The NPPA aims to increase access to affordable medications for all citizens by making price information readily available by means of displying the list of drug prices.
Penalties:
The NPPA has warned that strict action will be taken against pharmacies that fail to comply with this order.
This may include penalties such as fines and even imprisonment, as per the provisions of the DPCO, 2013.
Disclaimer: This article contains information obtained from the source mentioned below. Our team made changes in the format to rewrite and present the news or article in a unique format.
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