The Hindu Business Line : A healthy decision

There is a silver lining in the Government's plan to peg prices of drugs supplied to hospitals at 50 per cent of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP). This will keep affordable drugs in circulation for the consumer. The decision is practical since pharma companies are allowed to bypass the retail trade as far as their supplies to the hospital sector are concerned. The same could be extended to supermarkets public benefit.

Patented drugs have gone beyond the reach of the common man. Possibly, a mechanism can be evolved by which a comparison could be made on the cost of patented medicine in different markets.

Now that India has joined the WTO, it becomes incumbent on us to follow the norms. In accordance with it, the rate at which India would sell the patented drug can be fixed on a par with its lowest price in the overseas markets. This again may not be the best solution since the price could still not be affordable by the India's masses, but it is near the concept of keeping all stake-holders in good health.

Seethanagaraja Sastri

Thanjavur

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