New Delhi: The Delhi High Court today stayed
the order of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority
(NPPA) brining asthma drug `Doxyflline` produced by Lupin
and Swiss Garnier Life Science under the purview of the price
control.
A division bench comprising Justice M B lokur and Justice
Mukta Gupta stayed the circular issued by the drug price
regulator on November 17, 2009, which fixed the price of the
two medicines Doxyflline Syrup and Doxyflline Tablets by
putting them under the first schedule of the Drug Price
Control Order (DPCO) of 1995.
The court said the government was not very clear on the
fact that whether Doxyflline was bulk drug or not.
The Additional Solicitor General, appearing for the
government and NPPA, could clairfy whether the composition of
Doxyflline was mentioned in the `pharmacopeia` followed by it.
"Under these circumstances, .... it is directed that as
long as the hearing of the writ petition is pending,
operations and implementation of Doxyflline price fixation
notification dated November 17, 2009 is stayed," the court
said.
Pharmacopoeia is a technical book containing details
about the drug formulations.
The Court`s direction came on a petition filed by Lupin
and Garnier Life Sciences challenging the NPPA`s circular.
NPPA had on November 17, 2009, issued price fixing order
and directed to sell Doxyflline Syrup containing 60 ml at Rs
11.26 and a strip of 10 tablets of Doxyflline 400 mg at Rs
15.87.
PTI
