India's Minister of Chemicals meets drugmakers

India's Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and Steel, Shri Ram Vilas Paswan, held a meeting with the country's drugmakers and relevant trade associations to discuss industry proposals regarding the 2006 National Pharmaceutical Policy.

In a statement, the Indian government said that the drugs industry had put forward a suggested restriction on trade margins of 15% for wholesalers and 35% to retailers for generic drugs. The cap would come into effect from October 2.

Mr Paswan announced the establishment of a 14 person-strong committee with Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and drug industry membership, to "look into the issues raised by the industry including public/private partnership to help BPL [below poverty line] families, concessionary prices for government procurement, competition to contain prices monitoring to replace cost-based price control" and cooperation between the Ministry and the pharmaceutical industry.