New Delhi, June 7 (KNN) The Department of Pharmaceuticals recently proposed to include the fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) drugs under the Drug price Control Order (DPCO) that regulates the prices of the drugs. This move has raised fears in the pharma industry.

In a press interview S v Veerramani, Ex-President of the Indian Drug Manufacturers Association explained the situation. He informed that almost 40 per cent of the Indian Drug Manufacturing market makes Fixed-Dose Combination Drugs (FDCs) that include two or more therapeutic components. The decision of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to put these drugs under price control will directly mean that 40 per cent of the pharma industry will be put on a price cap.

He further said that the FDCs came up so that a doctor can reduce the number of drugs prescribed to a patient, which helped the consumers save a lot of money as now the patient can be given one drug instead of multiple drugs.

Veerramani lamented that if the drugs are brought under the price control, companies will suffer and will have to withdraw these drugs.

He further said that the DPCO 2013 already has put price control already over 18 per cent drugs sold in domestic market, further price control will badly hurt the pharma industry. (KNN/ DA)