Parl panel demands capping of COVID medicine prices

Congress leader Anand Sharma on Wednesday demanded that the drugs should be easily available at affordable rates for treatment of the disease. According to sources, members of the parliamentary committee on home affairs also raised the issue of black marketing of drugs related to COVID-19.

New Delhi: A parliamentary committee on home affairs, headed by Congress leader Anand Sharma, on Wednesday held discussions on issues related to COVID-19 and demanded that the drugs should be easily available at affordable rates for treatment of the disease.

"The members of the parliamentary committee on home affairs demanded that the maximum price of COVID-19 medicines should be capped and questioned that why only expensive medicines were often being recommended for COVID-19 treatment when other brands are equally effective even at cheaper rates," sources said.

Members of the parliamentary committee on home affairs also raised the issue of black marketing of drugs related to COVID-19, according to sources.

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla, Joint Secretary in the Health Ministry, Lav Agarwal and other top officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs attended the meeting.

The meeting was held to discuss the management of the COVID-19 pandemic, coordination with the state governments, phased unlocking, resumption of economic activities, inter-state movement of people and goods and state of preparedness.