Parliament Question: Overcharging of Medicines

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS DEPARTMENT OF PHARMACEUTICALS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4726 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 20TH MARCH 2026 Overcharging of Medicines

4726. Shri Deepender Singh Hooda:

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of cases of overcharging for medicines transferred to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) during the last ten years, State/UT-wise and year- wise including the current year;

(b) the number of such cases in which action has been completed with penalties imposed, along with the details of penalties recovered;

(c) the number of cases currently pending with NPPA for adjudication;

(d) the steps taken by the Government to strengthen monitoring and enforcement of drug price control to protect consumers across the country, including Haryana; and

(e) whether the Government has prepared any time-bound strategy to reduce cases of medicine overcharging and ensure effective compliance with the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, if so, the details thereof? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS (SMT. ANUPRIYA PATEL)

(a) to (c): The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) enquires into instance of overcharging brought to its notice and if a prima facie case of overcharging is established, NPPA initiates necessary action by issuing Demand Notices (DNs) to such companies to recover the overcharged amount along with applicable interest. NPPA does not maintain state- wise record of overcharging by pharmaceutical companies. The year-wise details of number of cases where DNs were issued, DN amount were recovered and pending cases over the period FY2015-16 to FY2025-26 (till 30.09.2025) is given in the table below:

Details of overcharging cases for medicines F.Y. Total no. of No. of cases wherein DN amount No. of cases DN issued has been recovered currently pending No. of cases No. of cases Recovered Amount No. of Cases (Rs. in Lakh) 2015-16 245 138 953.26 107 2016-17 118 58 6129.14 60 2017-18 182 56 4274.48 126 2018-19 134 70 786.57 64 2019-20 54 32 377.16 222020-21 21 3 9.79 18 2021-22 6 4 341.35 2 2022-23 99 21 452.95 78 2023-24 43 8 29.44 35 2024-25 59 27 172.96 32 2025-26 (upto 60 13 333.83 47

30.09.2025) Total 1021 430 13860.93 591

(d): In order to strengthen the price monitoring, Government has established Price Monitoring & Resource Units (PMRUs) in States and UTs, including Haryana, under the Central Sector Scheme 'Consumer Awareness, Publicity and Price Monitoring - (CAPPM)'.

These PMRUs collect data on prices and also conduct IEC activities to create awareness among public on pricing related aspects of drugs. NPPA and consumer/general public are engaged through online platforms like ‘Pharma Jan Samadhan’, which provides the consumer with an effective and time bound grievance redressal system to deal with complaints related to pricing, shortage and non-availability of medicines. Further, consumer may also connect with NPPA through mobile app ‘Pharma Sahi Daam’, and ‘Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS)’. Pharma Sahi Daam app lists the ceiling price of 928 formulations and MRP of approximate 98600 medicines. General public can check the current prices of various drugs through the app. In addition, NPPA has a helpline 1800111255 and

email: monitoring-nppa@gov.in, on which complaints on overcharging of drugs can be registered. Further, all price notifications are uploaded on the website of NPPA, i.e., www.nppa.gov.in .

(e): Monitoring of prices of drugs and action for recovery of overcharged amount is an ongoing activity and therefore, no time limits can be set for the same. *****