Measure of public health prepardeness in respect of APIs / intermediate / KSMs which are closely monitor the production and availability of APIs and their formulations to prevent black marketing and hoarding.
Drug controller cum licensing authority, director of health services, Chandigarh are monitoring for availability of APIs and drugs in context of outbreak of COVID-19 in China. NPPA (National Pharmaceutical pricing authority) chairman had written a letter to Drug Controller, Chandigarh and all the other State's/ UTs Chief Secretaries for taking measures on price control due to COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
India is the pharmacy of the world. However India is heavily dependent on China for import of key APIs and KSMs and there is an apprehension that in wake of COVID-19 the supplies of active pharmaceutical ingredeients (APIs) / key starting materials (KSMs) from China might be disrupted resulting in shortage of medicines in the country.
The key drug industry associations have assured the government that there is enough stock of APIs/ formulations in the country. However, as a measure of public health prepardeness in respect of APIs / intermediate / KSMs which are closely monitor the production and availability of APIs and their formulations to prevent black marketing and hoarding.
Dr. G Dewan, Drug controller cum licensing authority cum director health services, Chandigarh said that, "It may also be ensured that there is no violation of provisions of DPCO 2013 with regards to compliance of ceiling prices / permissible increase in proces of scheduled / non schedule formulations. In case any contravention is noticed, necessary strict action will be initiated under the provision of DPCO 2013 & essential commodities Act 1955 against defaulters to ensure availablitiy og life saving essential drugs to consumers."
