Gujarat chemist association head alleges drug pricing nexus

Jaswant Patel, head of the Gujarat Chemists and Druggists Association, has alleged a massive financial nexus involving pharmaceutical companies, corporate hospital chains, and doctors regarding drug pricing.

Patel claims that while small chemists are restricted to minimal margins, large chain stores and corporate entities, such as Apollo Hospitals, receive additional commissions ranging from 30 to 50 percent. He highlighted significant discrepancies between the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) and the Price to Stockist (PTS), particularly for critical medications including cancer drugs and emergency injections for heart and nephrology patients.

He has called for a CBI investigation to uncover the extent of this nexus and urged the government to implement laws that regulate the gap between PTS, Price to Retailer (PTR), and MRP to prevent exploitation.