Shops selling drugs at old MRP under scanner in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram: A fortnight after the Central Government reduced the prices of 25 essential drugs, the state government has decided to carry out state wide inspections to ensure people get these drugs at the revised rates. The decision comes in the wake of allegations that most medical shops across the state are continuing to sell these drugs at old Maximum Retail Price (MRP). 

The reduced price difference ranges from Rs 2 to Rs 500 for medicines including those for treating cancer, infections including cold and allergy, epilepsy, gastrointestinal disorders, tumours, fungal infections and  immunosuppressants.

Health Minister K K Shailaja has directed the drugs control department to conduct inspections. Since the new stocks of medicines with revised rates are expected to arrive only after a fortnight, the officials are wary of medical shop owners concealing their old stocks thus creating an artificial shortage.

Though the notification was issued by the Centre on June 2, the prices of drugs have not been reduced yet in most places. The authorities are treading cautiously as a sudden crackdown could lead to shortage of medicines.  As many as 19,000 medical shops across the state have been asked by the drugs control department to charge the revised price and not the MRP printed on packs.

While the drug inspectors have been directed to inspect the medical shops, covering all outlets in a short period of time may not be possible because of the staff shortage. Drugs department had 47 inspectors, of which six retired recently. Ideally, the state requires more than 200 drug inspectors. Demands for creation of posts have been pending but no decision has been taken yet.