NEW DELHI, AUG 18: The Union Government is considering the possibility of bringing the Indian Systems Medicines (ISM) drugs under price control. The government is also looking into the proposal of preparing a schedule of life saving drugs on which tax exemption may be given uniformly by all the states.ISM drugs refer to non-allopathic ones and include various forms of Indian medicines like the ayurvedic, unani, herbal and homeopathic. Currently, ISM drugs account for close to 70 per cent of the total Indian drugs market. The prices of these drugs are not being controlled and they are determined by the manufacturer.The department of chemicals and fertilisers is also likely to recommend to the health ministry to step up the purchase of medicines from public sector units to ensure quality.The government has also expressed concern over the falling exports and increasing imports and is looking at the reasons. Exports of drugs, pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals stood at Rs 4942.41 crore for the first nine months ended December 1999 against Rs 6152.22 crore in 1998-99. Similarly, import of medicinal and pharmaceutical products during April-December 1999 stood at Rs 1149.51 crore against 1446.82 crore.These were some of the issues raised at the recently held meeting of the consultative committee of the MPs attached to the ministry of chemicals and fertilisers. The meeting held in Vadodara discussed in detail the `availability and prices of drugs and medicines of mass consumption since 1991'. The fourth meeting of the consultative committee will be held on August 25.On the issue of availability of drugs at a reasonable price, NPPA is in the process of developing a basket of drugs to monitor the prices of drugs consumed by middle-level/lower middle-level classes.
