New Delhi, Jan 23 (KNN) The Government of India has recently constituted a standing committee to regulate drug prices which will be headed by NITI Aayog.

The committee will be a recommending body to the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) regarding prices of drugs and health products.

The members of the Committee will be Chief Economic Adviser, Secretary of Department of health research, Director General of Health Services, Vice-Chairperson of National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) and Joint Secretary, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

It will examine issues suo-moto or on recommendation of Department of Pharma, NPPA and Department of Health.

The setting up of the Committee comes in the backdrop of recent clashes between the health and pharma ministries over regulating the prices of drugs and medicines.

However, some health activists found the constitution of the Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products as objectionable as this may have repercussions on affordability of drugs in the market.

The National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) was established as an autonomous regulator in 1997 to oversee and set the prices of drugs and products on the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), which is prepared by the Health Ministry, and set price caps.