Governance
In News: Two apps were launched during the inaugural session of the silver jubilee celebrations of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).
The Integrated Pharmaceutical Database Management System 2.0
- IPDMS 2.0 is an integrated, responsive, cloud-based application developed by NPPA with technical support from Centre for Advance Computing (C-DAC).
- It is envisaged to optimise synergies in operations in order to promote the government’s thrust on ‘Ease of Doing Business’.
- It would provide a single window for submissions of various forms as mandated under Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013.
- It would also enable paperless functioning of NPPA and facilitate the stakeholders to connect with it from across the country.
Pharma Sahi Daam
- Pharma Sahi Daam from NPPA is an online search tool for checking prices of Scheduled/Non-Scheduled medicines instantly at the time of purchasing medicines and for searching medicine substitutes.
- Pharma Sahi Daam 2.0 app will have updated features like speech recognition, availability in Hindi and English, share button and medicine bookmarking.
- This version of Pharma Sahi Daam also has a facility for launching complaints by consumers through the consumer complaint-handling module.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
- NPPA was constituted by the Government of India in 1997 as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers as an independent regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.
- It was made to fix/revise prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce price and availability of the medicines in the country, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 1995-2013 (DPCO).
Mandate
- To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
- To deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the NPPA.
- To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages and to take remedial steps.
- To collect/maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc., for bulk drugs and formulations and undertake and/ or sponsor relevant studies in respect of pricing of drugs/ pharmaceuticals.
Source: The Hindu
