It also states that Pharma Companies manage to get Higher MRP tag on medicines, lenses, non coronary and gastrointestinal stents
A group of doctors have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cap prices of medicines and medical devices by getting them under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).
“Only 15 per cent medicines are under price control. Rest of the 85 per cent medicines can be sold at whatever price the company may find suitable. Also intraocular lenses, orthopaedic implants are not under price control,” said Dr Gurinder Grewal, former President of Punjab Medical Council (PMC) and member of Alliance of Doctors for Ethical Healthcare (ADEH).
ADEH has furnished quotations from suppliers of medicines and medical implants offering lavish discounts on MRP for hospitals. For example, in case of Fine Uncemented Hip Implant, the cost at which the manufacturer is willing to sell it to the hospital is at Rs 48,000. However, the cost levied on the patient is as high as Rs 1,06, 800 (upto 55 per cent higher).
Intraocular lenses used for eye transplants are sold at ten times the cost price to the patient, ADEH member Dr Arun Mitra said. “A lense of Rs 350, the price at which the company offers it to hospitals, is billed at over ten times more which is at Rs 4,500 to the patient,” Dr Mitra said.
Hospitals are being given discounts between 27 per cent to up to 55 per cent, according to the quotations. The letter states, “The wholesaler can get 10 per cent and retailer can get at the most 20 per cent discount on drugs, implants, no more than that.”
It also states that Pharma Companies manage to get Higher MRP tag on medicines, lenses, non coronary and gastrointestinal stents.
Dr Grewal contended that the government is trying to wash off its hands by saying we have retail stores like Amrit Pharmacies and Jan Aushidhi Kendras. “If there can be One Tax One Country then why can’t the rates be capped for all the retail outlets whether government or private-run? This is a massive scam of MRP business v/s Hospital price,” he told DNA.
“Prices should be streamlined for the benefit of the patients as also to prevent their exploitation,” Dr Grewal said.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority Chairman Bhupendra Singh said, “Majority drugs, implants are not under price control. The Union Health Ministry has to propose such inclusions and a proper process has to be followed to get them included under price control.”
DISCOUNTS GIVEN
- ADEH has furnished quotations from suppliers of medicines and implants offering discounts on MRP for hospitals
- Hospitals are being given discounts between 27 per cent to up to 55 per cent, according to the quotations
- Pharma Companies manage to get Higher MRP tag on medicines, lenses, non coronary and gastrointestinal stents
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