NPPA

Subject: Government Organisations

Context:

To ensure  accessibility of necessary medical devices to the common man at genuine cost  National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)  has extended ceiling prices of Knee Implants for another one year, i.e. till 14thSeptember 2021.

Concept:

• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) was constituted as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) in 1997 under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers as an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.
• It fixes ceiling prices of scheduled essential drugs and monitors Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of remaining non-scheduled medical devices, which have been regulated as drugs.

Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO)

• The Drugs Prices Control Order, 1995 is an order issued by the Government of India under Sec. 3 of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to regulate the prices of drugs.
• The Order inter alia provides the list of price controlled drugs, procedures for fixation of prices of drugs, method of implementation of prices fixed by Govt., penalties for contravention of provisions etc.
• For the purpose of implementing provisions of DPCO, powers of Government have been vested in NPPA.