The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has directed the states and Union Territories to make sure that these products are not sold in prices exceeding the maximum retail price (MRP) printed on the pack size, the government said on Friday.
In a statement shared through Press Information Bureau(PIB), the government claimed that the NPPA had requested to the Ministry ofHealth and Family Welfare to notify the above mentioned items as drugs withimmediate effect to enable NPPA to regulate the availability and prices ofthem.
The request was then approved by the Ministry of Health andFamily Welfare on Friday under clause (I) of sub-section (2) of section 10 ofthe Disaster Management Act, 2005. The approval mandated NationalPharmaceutical Pricing Authority to regulate the availability and prices of theSurgical and protective masks, Hand sanitizers and Gloves.”Accordingly,NPPA has directed to all State/UT Governments, in public interest, in order todeal with the situation arising out of COVID-19, to take necessary steps toensure sufficient availability of Surgical and protective masks, Handsanitizers and Gloves at prices not exceeding the maximum retail prices (MRP)printed on the pack size,” the statement reads.