The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy brings all medicines in the National List of Essential Medicines, 2011 under price control. In order to bring transparency and to make medicines more affordable while providing industry with enough incentives, we need to know the manufacturer's selling price and add-on costs as the medicine moves along the supply chain till it reaches the consumer. The findings of this paper indicate that the patient does not benefit from trade schemes, marketing strategies, or the free pharmaceutical market. Brand loyalty and marketing strategies do not allow "real" competition. The paper makes a number of recommendations to make medicines affordable to the common citizen.
