The recently announced draft National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy 2011 fails to ensure accessible and affordable medicines for all in India. This is due to the limited scope and market-based approach it offers to price control. Among other measures, policy should fix ceiling prices based on lowest priced alternatives instead of high-priced top sellers, aim to revive pharmaceutical public sector undertakings, and expand the current National List of Essential Medicines. Most importantly, pharmaceuticals must be brought under the remit of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to allow better coordination for public health interests.
