|
Enraged over the reluctance of some pharma companies to register themselves on Integrated Pharmaceutical Database Management System (IPDMS), the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has issued a final warning to 694 pharma companies to register themselves on IPDMS by January 21, 2017, failing which the drug regulator will take stern action against these erring companies.
“All the pharmaceutical companies are required to register themselves on IPDMS and file all mandatory forms as required under DPCO, 2013 by 21.01.2017 positively, failing which appropriate action against companies shall be initiated under the provisions of Essential Commodities Act, 1955 read with DPCO, 2013”, the national drug price regulator has warned the erring companies.
Pharmaceutical companies are legally bound to report information through IPDMS under the provisions of the DPCO, 2013 issued under section 3 of Essential Commodities Act. 1955 (EC Act, 1955). Non-submission of return/information through IPDMS tantamounts to violation of the provisions of the DPCO, 2013 read with EC Act, 1955, it further said.
The NPPA is extremely annoyed over the issue as in spite of repeated directives to the pharma companies to register themselves on IPDMS, the response from the pharma companies has been far and few between. Even though the NPPA had issued its first notice for online registration under the DPCO, 2013 way back on 18.09.2014, directing all pharmaceutical manufacturing/marketing companies to register themselves online under IPDMS before 31.10.2014, a large number of companies did not obey its orders even after more than two years now.
“Even after expiry of two months of the extended period for furnishing information under IPDMS, it is seen that there is a significant gap between the number of products registered under IPDMS and returns filed under Form II, III, and V and the frequency of filing as required under DPCO 2013”, the NPPA stated.
The IPDMS, also referred to as Pharma Data Bank, when fully operationalised will be a useful tool for collection of data and information and for monitoring and analysis of data for the industry, the consumer and the regulator, and from which data on production, import and pricing of scheduled and non-scheduled formulations can be accessed, analyzed and reports generated.
|