MRTPC Probe into Cipla drug pricing

[Guest guest]

MRTPC Probe into Cipla drug pricing

NEW DELHI, Aug. 24: A US-based non-governmental organisation working

on HIV/AIDS demanded that India's restrictive trade practices

investigating agency probes the overall AIDS drug pricing practices

of Cipla.

The NGO, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, had alleged that the company was

selling its HIV drug Viraday at a higher price in the domestic market

than it proposed to in Africa. The NGO had brought out advertisements

in various newspapers alleging that Cipla was exporting Viraday to

African countries at Rs 21,200 per patient a year, while the same for

Indian patients cost over Rs 54,000.

Taking cognizance of the advertisements, the Monopolies and

Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) directed the Director

General of Investigation and Registration to probe the issue and

submit a report within 60 days. The company had sent a legal notice

to the NGO and said it had not sold Viraday in Africa, while other

anti-AIDS drugs were sold to National AIDS Control Organisation in

India at the same prices as in Africa. " It is shocking that AIDS

Healthcare Foundation is spending lakhs of rupees on advertisements

in various newspapers distorting facts and making baseless

allegations, " Cipla said in a statement on 9 August.

The NGO today downplayed Cipla's threat of defamation suit and

rejected its demand for one billion rupees, saying it would call on

the MRTPC to investigate Cipla's overall AIDS drug pricing

practices. " We are unashamed by our recent drug pricing advocacy

advertisement in India, and do not intend to either retract the

advertisement or run apology ads, " Mr Weinstein, president of

AIDS Healthcare Foundation said.

http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?

clid=2 & theme= & usrsess=1 & id=167504