Group items tagged

India is looking to expand the price controls they have on drugs. This would apply not only to generic medicines, but also to patented drugs. Drug companies fear this decision, as they feel that India is not protecting their intellectual property enough already. The secretary of India's Pharmaceuticals Department, Kalha, states that they need to make expensive drugs available/affordable to the poorer citizens. Bayer AG and India are in a patent conflict. India's patent authority required that the German company, Bayer, issues a license, which allows Indian generic- drug companies to sell a less expensive copy of Bayer's patented cancer drug, Nexavar. The reason for this order was due to the expensive prices of the drug and India's Intellectual Property Appellate Board are arguing the case and expecting a ruling very soon. With the price controls on the drugs, the poorer citizens would have a fairer chance and curing their sicknesses, as they would be able to afford the medication for it. So far India has 74 set prices on generic medicines but is wanting to increase this number to 348. This high amount of price control has not been seen since 1979! The Indian government believes that the prices of drugs shouldn't be driven by market forces but should be regulated instead. However, so far there are no formal regulations to the plan of the price controlling yet, as the government is still deciding of final opinions. By restricting the prices of drugs, foreign pharmaceutical companies might become upset. Tapan Ray, the director general of the Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers (internationally based) of India spoke: " any price control in that area will stifle [research and development] initiatives seriously, adversely affecting patients' interests in the long run". Novartis is a Swiss drug maker and it has been fighting for a patent on its cancer drug, Glivec, in India. In 2006 India rejected Novartis' patent application, and since then Novartis has been fighting

In Malaysia, 14 items have been put under a price control scheme until November 17th. There are certain pink tags which must be displayed on products to help differentiate between them. There are large fines for traders who do not comply within the rules.

Mr. Rangel admitted that he occupies four rent-stabilized apartments in a high-class New York City building. It turns out that in a city with a very tight housing market, Mr. Rangel has fought himself a pretty good deal, thanks to rent-control laws that are apparently aimed at helping the poor and middle class. Mr. Rangel, the powerful Democrat who is chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, uses his fourth apartment, six floors below, as a campaign office, despite state and city regulations that require rent-stabilized apartments to be used as a primary residence. Mr. Rangel, paid a total rent of $3,894 monthly in 2007 for the four apartments at Lenox Terrace, a 1,700-unit luxury development of six towers, with doormen, that is described in real estate publications as Harlem's most prestigious address. The current market-rate rent for similar apartments in Mr. Rangel's building would total $7,465 to $8,125 a month. 

This article describes the effect of price ceilings on goods in Asia. Most countries in Asia have set caps to petrol prices and only seldom raised these. Commentators argue that if price of petrol does not rise with the price of the crude oil in the world, consumers in Asia (where the price for petrol is low) will use up so much that the price of petrol will increase too much and harm the economy rather than help it. In China foods have been monitored as well. Price have a ceiling and if this is to be raise the company must seek approval of the government. This is only a temporary answer to the problem of keeping prices low.

Slowing of inflation in venezuela.

In this Article it is perfctly shown how the goverment can control a country with taxes. by putting the taxes so far up for alcohol the people will think twice if they really need alchohol or not. By changing the system from a overall tax for all different kinds of alcohol to a more individual with respekt to the strength of the liquor a more fair and logical system was created. this enables the citizens to consume wine and beer which are less "dangerous" and harmful than hard liquor which may cause or enhance the chances of physical fight, destruction or vandalism on public streets. A bottle of wine, where this is less likely to happen, might even generate more income if taxes are low so people drink more of it in restaurants or at home to dinner.