-The Times of India NEW DELHI: In an attempt to revamp drug price regulation in the country, while strengthening implementation and market monitoring, the government is set to restructure the regulator, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA). The authority, which is expected to be re-christened soon, will be replaced by a board or a council with four full-time members, including the chairman. The other three members — an economist, a costing specialist and...

-The Telegraph New Delhi: A five-judge Supreme Court constitution bench on Wednesday ruled that parliamentary standing committee reports can be examined by courts for evidence evaluation, rejecting the Centre's argument that it would be a breach of parliamentary privileges and an encroachment into the domain of the legislature. The apex court, however, said "admissibility of a parliamentary committee report in evidence does not mean facts stated in the report stand proved", as...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: The Delhi government is likely to come out with a policy to cap profit margins for hospitals this week. A first for any state, the policy will cover sale of medicines, consumables and devices to patients. The state government had appointed a nine-member committee in December last year to suggest the scope and process of capping prices. The move followed public outrage on the death of...

-The Indian Express The pharmacies are crowded, and customers usually accept the brand that those manning the counters hand out to them. At all the shops, queries about other brands are met with: “Only this one is available with us”. Chandigarh: At the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), a patient has the choice to get fleeced or save herself from open wallet surgery. But it all depends on the...

-The Indian Express In a letter to PM Modi, Swadeshi Jagran Manch, the economic wing of the RSS, had alleged that advocacy groups of dubious antecedents and an official in the Health Ministry were “lobbying for the use of vaccines such as HPV vaccine. New Delhi: As allegations of “MNC vaccine lobby” and “vested interests” pushing their agenda in India refuse to die down, World Health Organization (WHO) Deputy Director General...