The genesis of the finance ministry’s recent objections to the proposed National Pharma Pricing Policy may lie in the cost account services under the department of expenditure. In a note prepared by the department of expenditure, the finance ministry has raised various objections to the draft policy that proposes a market-based pricing mechanism for essential medicines. An industry official sourly observed that the department officials’ objection is aimed at securing their own jobs, since most of the officers from cost account services are posted to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, which may lose its role if the policy is approved.
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