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Karnataka Seeks Wider Price Caps for Life-Saving Medicines
Karnataka wants the national government to limit how much extra can be added to the prices of some important medicines.
A proposed rule would limit trade margins on certain cancer medicines to 30% of their maximum retail price.
Officials still need to decide which medicines will be included.
Karnataka also wants similar rules for costly medicines used for heart and kidney conditions.
The state says its checks found concerns about prices for 253 medicines and medical supplies.
Hospitals and other healthcare institutions have been advised to show medicine costs and retail prices on bills starting November 1.
The Centre estimates the cancer-drug measure could lower some prices by 20% to 70%.
It says patients could save around Rs 2,500 crore.
Karnataka asked the Centre to extend proposed price controls on costly cancer drugs to high-cost medicines for cardiac and kidney ailments.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority gave in-principle approval on October 8 for a 30% trade-margin cap on identified non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.
A Directorate General of Health Services expert committee is expected to recommend which medicines would be covered by October 14.
Karnataka said inspections found pricing concerns in 253 medicines and medical consumables, including large gaps between procurement costs and patient prices.
The state’s advisory directs healthcare institutions to show medicine purchase costs and MRP on bills from November 1.
- Who
- The Karnataka government, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and the Union government.
- What
- Karnataka urged the Centre to extend proposed trade-margin controls on certain cancer medicines to other high-cost life-saving medicines.
- Where
- Karnataka, India; the proposed measures concern medicines covered nationally.
- When
- Karnataka's request was reported on October 10; the NPPA gave in-principle approval on October 8.
- Why
- To reduce patients’ treatment costs and address concerns about gaps between medicine procurement costs and prices charged to patients.
Key facts
- Proposed cancer-drug trade-margin cap
- 30% of MRP for identified non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, subject to finalising the medicine list.
- NPPA approval
- In-principle approval was granted at a meeting on October 8.
- Expert committee deadline
- A committee under the Directorate General of Health Services is expected to recommend covered medicines by October 14.
- Medicines and supplies reviewed
- Karnataka cited pricing concerns identified in 253 medicines and medical consumables.
- Hospital billing advisory
- Healthcare institutions were advised to list purchase cost and MRP on bills from November 1.
- Centre's estimated price reduction
- MRPs of several cancer medicines could fall by 20% to 70%.
- Estimated patient savings
- The Centre estimates the measure could save patients around Rs 2,500 crore.
Quotes
Karnataka state government
The state government, making a request in a press release.
“The state government also hereby requests the Union Government to extend this capping to other essential life-saving medicines necessary for treatment of cardiac, kidney ailments etc. particularly high cost drugs, to reduce the burden of treatment in terms of cost to the common man.”
theprint.in
Sources
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