NPPA mute spectator to extra-ordinary heavy trade margins on Generic Medicines
Bureau,Odishabarta
DELHI: Generic medicines are considered to be economical substitute of branded medicines. But I was shocked to note extra-heavy trade-margins in Generic Medicines available at wholesale medicine-market Bhagirath Palace of Delhi. A box containing 20 strips of ten tablets each of Vogliboz-0.3 tablets marketed by Knoll Healthcare Pvt Ltd with printed Maximum-Retail-Price MRP of rupees 100 each (MRP of complete box rupees 2000) was available with the distributor at just rupees 300 meaning thereby a profit of 567-percent for the retailer.
Likewise A box of 20 strips of ten capsules each with MRP rupees 114 per strip (Total MRP rupees 2280) of Pantosec D SR marketed by Cipla Ltd was available at a wholesaler at just rupees 550 meaning thereby a trade-margin of 315-percent. Even wholesalers are at liberty to earn huge by offering just 20-percent discount on printed MRP of Generic Medicines.
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) should urgently look into the matter, and direct marketers of Generic Medicines to reduce printed MRP on Generic Medicines which may not be above net total trade-margins of 20-25 percent inclusive of distributor, wholesaler and retailer like exists for branded medicines. Extra-ordinary trade-margins running into hundreds of percent leave space for bribery since governments are biggest purchasers of Generic Medicines for their hospitals and dispensaries.
Input;Ms.Madhu
