Some new drugs to be included in controlled price list

The government has planned to include some new generation drugs in the controlled price list as currently many decontrolled drugs are becoming unaffordable to the people, sources said.
Considering the public health and price affordability, the government listed 117 drugs under controlled prices from hundreds of essential drugs in 1994.
According to a wholesaler, currently more than 50 per cent price controlled drugs are not available in the market due to low profit margin and backdated status compared to new generation drugs.  
A drug manufacturer said over the last two decades, many price controlled essential drugs have become old fashioned and the physicians also prescribe newly invented products.
Salim Barami, director of the drug administration office said due to wide use and effectiveness there is a trend among the manufacturers to invest in new drugs.
He said as the new drugs are not included in the controlled price list the manufacturers may quote high prices for these drugs.
M M Neazuddin, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) said, "We feel the need for making some new drugs available at an affordable price to the people."
He said some drugs would be included in the controlled price list through official process within a short time and a meeting is likely to be held this month.
The health secretary said after inclusion of some new generation essential drugs in controlled price list people would get those at affordable costs.
Mr. Neazuddin said, "We have a plan to sit at a meeting with the stakeholders and other ministries to review the controlled price list and include some new essential drugs in the list."
An office-bearer in the chemist and druggist association said more than 50 per cent price controlled drugs are not available in the market as the manufacturers are not producing them as per demand.
He said many leading pharmaceutical companies do not manufacture price controlled drugs due to low profit.
The trade leader said many newly invented and popular generics are replacing the existing price controlled drugs because the manufacturers can fix prices of new drugs at their sweet will for their decontrolled status.
M Shafiuzzaman, former president of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceuticals Industries said since 1994 a revolutionary change has emerged in the local drug industry.
He said the manufacturers are always searching new generics which are widely used by the patients for more effectiveness.
Mr Zaman said, "Though we can fix the prices of some new products it is as per dictation of the drug office."
A drug store owner in Shahbagh said they do not keep most of the price controlled drugs as they cannot make profit from those.
He said in maximum prescriptions they find decontrolled new generics.
The store owner said they can make more profit from the price decontrolled essential drugs than the price controlled ones.