Parliamentary panel to delve into price rise of medicines, need for regulatory reforms among others

Parliamentary panel to delve into price rise of medicines, need for regulatory reforms among others

Posted on December 3, 2024 Updated on December 1, 2024

The Department Related Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers, recently reconstituted under the chairpersonship of Lok Sabha member Kirti Azad Jha, will be delving into various aspects of the pharmaceutical sector including the price rise of medicines, need for stringent regulatory reforms, among others as the main subjects during its tenure.

The Standing Committee, which held a meeting last month, has selected six topics for examination under the main committee related to the Department of Pharmaceuticals during the term 2024-25. These six topics are among the 23 subjects the committee would look into, across the three departments – Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Fertilisers and Department of Chemicals and Petro Chemicals.

The topics selected for the year include a review of price rise of medicines in the pharmaceutical sector impacting the lives of ordinary citizens adversely; evaluation of the present role and functions of regulatory authorities in pharmaceutical sector and need for stringent reforms; and review of performance of regulatory authorities for stringent control of spurious and fake medicines.

Besides, the main committee will also consider the subjects including self-sufficiency in production and availability of active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) through various initiatives including production linked incentive scheme (PLI); review of activities and performance of National Institutes of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPERs) since its inception; and inclusive growth of the pharmaceutical industry with stringent quality control and safety standards while also promoting the use of indigenous/traditional medicines and medical practices.

The Standing Committee on Chemicals and Fertilisers is one of the 24 Department Related Standing Committees, consisting of 31 members including 21 members from Lok Sabha and 10 members from the Rajya Sabha.

The Committee has three departments of the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers – department of fertilisers, department of chemicals and petrochemicals, and department of pharmaceuticals – within its jurisdiction.

It has functions including considering the Demands for Grants of the three Departments and make reports to the Houses on the same, examining the bills referred to the Committee by Chairman, Rajya Sabha and Speaker of Lok Sabha relating to the Ministry and make reports, and considering the annual report of the ministry and making reports on it.

The Committee also has the responsibility to consider national basic long term policy documents presented to the houses, if referred to the Committee by the Chairman of Rajya Sabha or the Speaker of Lok Sabha, and make reports on them.

It may be noted that the reports presented by the Committees in the past had played a significant role in various major aspects in the pharmaceutical industry and drug regulatory mechanism in the country, including the topics of irrational fixed dose combinations and the issues with the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

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