JPDA announces measures to counter unethical practices in pharma trade

JPDA president Rakesh Gupta addressing a press conference at Jammu.
JPDA president Rakesh Gupta addressing a press conference at Jammu.

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 13: Jammu Pharmaceutical Distributors Association (JPDA) today announced strong and effective measures to counter ‘Unethical’ and ‘Allurement Tactics’ adopted and unleashed by the multi-brand companies in the noble trade of pharmaceuticals, paving way for ‘Spurious & Sub Standard’ medicines in the market.
Addressing a press conference here today, JPDA president Rakesh Gupta said that the ‘Price War’ that has been started by multi-brand companies in Jammu & Kashmir and at Pan India level has led to unhealthy and unethical allurement practices of offering huge discounts in the trade of medicines. He further said that our trade is governed by the Drug Price Control Order which clearly defines the profit margins at the Wholesale and Retail level.

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Gupta said that after complete silence & inaction on the part of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority and the Competition Commission of India even after sensational disclosures made by their Association in the recent past, they are forced to take strict and stringent measures in the interest of Healthcare.
He announced series of measures to be implemented at war footing that include strictly implementing the practice of importing medicines only through authorized channels of the manufacturers, discourage and non-cooperate with all those who have adopted allurement tactics by displaying discount offers, total non-cooperation to anyone importing medicines from unauthorized channels to get heavy profit margins over and above what have been defined in the Drugs Price Control Order.
Gupta urged the Pharma manufacturers to implement and by all means stop and discourage inter and intra-region infiltration of medicines through unauthorized channels and stop the practice of ‘special discounted rates’ to one and all. He further said that various in-house measures are also being taken to regulate the trade of medicines in the larger interest of patient care and as a moral obligation.
Other office bears of JPDA present at the press conference were Ajay Gupta (senior-vice president), Brijesh Gupta (vice-president), Rajan Gupta (secretary general), Ravinder Gandaral (secretary) and Manmeet Singh (treasurer).