(Photo credit: ANI)
NEW DELHI: Citizens will now be able to check the prices of medicines and lodge complaints related to drug pricing through a single government platform, following the integration of two key portals operated by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).In an office memorandum issued on Tuesday, the NPPA announced the integration of the Pharma Jan Samadhan portal, which handles medicine-related grievances, with the Pharma Sahi Daam portal, which provides information on medicine prices. The unified platform will operate through the Pharma Sahi Daam app and portal.The move is aimed at simplifying access to information and grievance redressal services for consumers. Until now, citizens had to use separate portals for checking medicine prices and filing complaints. With the integration, both services will be available through a single interface.NPPA said the two initiatives were originally launched to promote transparency, accountability, citizen participation and access to affordable medicines. The authority noted that integrating the services would improve convenience for users and help create a more efficient and user-friendly digital experience. According to the memorandum, the integration is part of the government’s broader push towards digital governance and the principle of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”. Officials said the unified platform is expected to improve ease of access, increase public awareness about medicine pricing and grievance mechanisms, and reduce duplication of services.The Pharma Sahi Daam platform allows citizens to compare the prices of medicines and verify whether scheduled drugs are being sold within the ceiling prices fixed by the government. The grievance portal enables consumers to report issues related to medicine pricing and seek redressal.The integrated platform has become operational with immediate effect, and the NPPA has asked stakeholders and members of the public to continue accessing services through the unified Pharma Sahi Daam interface.
