FDI policy has affected Indian drug companies: Drug dealer body

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, Jan 5: Federation of Medical and Sales Representative Association of India general secretary Alok Benerjee on Tuesday said, “Now more than Rs 7000 crore has been invested by several foreign drug companies in India for which the foreign companies have been controlling the drugs prices in the country. As a result, the prices of drugs have skyrocketed in the last few months.”

Addressing a press conference at the Pitambor Dev Goswami auditorium in Jorhat, Banerjee said that due to Foreign Direct Investment policy of the BJP government, the prices of drugs had increased in the country.

He added, “The FDI policy of the government has also affected the Indian drug companies and we demand the government to take steps against the foreign companies at the earliest to check the price hike of drugs.”

Benerjee, who came to Jorhat to take part in the 22nd annual conference of the Centre of Medical Representatives’ Union (CMRU),

North-East region, also said that India had no proper Act for medical representatives and medicine companies.  Medical representatives even do not have fixed working hours and the government did not provide any fincial assistance to the local drug companies.

He also criticized the drugs e-marketing system and said that it was absolutely illegal and the government should stop it. He appealed to the government to introduce a new Act for the medical representatives and to take schemes for the local drug companies at the earliest. Supriya Bhattachariya, secretary of CMRU, Sanjoy Chetarji also criticized the  Central Government’s policy in the press meet.

The annual conference of CMRU has been organized in Jorhat with a three-day long programme from Monday. The programme started with a colourful cultural procession on Monday. The open session of the conference was held at the Pitambor Dev Goswami auditorium on Tuesday.