(Eds: Adds details ) New Delhi, Mar 13 () The government on Friday declared face masks and hand sanitizers as essential commodities for the next 100 days as it stepped up efforts to boost supply and prevent hoarding of these items in its fight to check spread of coronavirus disease. The Centre has also invoked Disaster Management Act to ensure price regulation and availability of surgical and protective masks, hand sanitizer and gloves. Both masks (2ply &amp; 3 ply surgical masks, N95 masks) and hand sanitisers have been brought under Essential Commodities Act, 1955, empowering States to regulate production, distribution and prices of these items and also crackdown on hoarding and blackmarketing. "Government has notified an order under the Essential Commodities Act to declare these items as essential commodities up to June 30, 2020, by amending the schedule of the Essential Commodities Act 1955," the Consumer Affairs Ministry said in a statement.The decision would empower the government and States/UTs to regulate production, quality and distribution of masks and hand sanitizers for smooth sale and availability of these items. It also empowers to carry out operations against speculators and those involved in over pricing and black marketing."It will enhance the availability of both the items to the general people at reasonable prices or under MRP (maximum retail price)," the ministry said. The government pointed out that masks and hand sanitizers are either not available in the market or are available with great difficulty at exorbitant prices, in view of the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19.The government has also issued an advisory under the Legal Metrology Act.Under the EC Act, state governments can ask manufacturers to enhance their production capacity of these items for augmenting supply, while States can ensure sale of both the items at MRP under the Legal Metrology Act.States can now notify the central order in their official gazette and also issue their own orders under the EC Act depending on the situation, the ministry said.They may take action against offenders under the EC Act and PBMMSEC Act (Prevention of Blackmarketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act) 1980. An offender under the EC Act can be punished with an imprisonment of up to seven years or fine or both. Under the PBMMSEC Act, one can be detained for maximum six months.Meanwhile, the Centre has also invoked Disaster Management Act to ensure price regulation and availability of surgical and protective mask, hand sanitizer and gloves.Amid reports of non-availability and black marketing of surgical and protective masks, sanitizers and gloves and as a measure of preparedness to address the challenge of outbreak of COVID-19, the health ministry has mandated the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to notify these items as drugs. "In pursuance of directions conveyed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare vide order dated 13.03.2020 under clause (I) of sub-section (2) of section 10 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has been mandated to regulate the availability and prices of the Surgical and protective masks, Hand sanitizers and Gloves," the pharmaceuticals department under the Chemicals and Fertilisers Ministry said. The NPPA has directed all State /UT governments to take necessary steps to ensure sufficient availability of surgical and protective masks, hand sanitizers and gloves at prices not exceeding the MRP printed on the pack size. State/UT Governments have also been directed to monitor the production and distribution of above mentioned items by the Manufacturers/ Importers, Stockists and Retailers and ensure that hoarding, black marketing and profiteering may not happen.The EC Act was established to ensure the delivery of certain commodities or products, the supply of which, if obstructed owing to hoarding or black-marketing, would affect the normal life of people. This includes foodstuffs, drugs, fuels (petroleum products).The Act itself does not lay out rules and regulations but allows the states to issue control orders related to dealer licensing, regulate stock limits, restrict movement of goods and requirements of compulsory purchases under a levy system. MJH NKD ANZ MR

Govt notifies hand sanitizers, surgical masks, gloves as essential commodities

New Delhi, Apr 10 () The government on Friday said that there is enough stock of hydroxychloroquine in the country and it is taking all steps to ensure that there is no shortage of the drug in the domestic market. India is the biggest manufacturer of the anti-malarial drug that is being touted as 'game changer' in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. "There is enough stock of hydroxychloroquine in the country and we are tracking its demand, availability and production on a daily basis," National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) Chairman Shubhra Singh told . India is the world's largest manufacturer of the drug, which is used for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, malaria and lupus, she added. "Ensuring the availability of the drug in the country is our first priority. Only after meeting the demand here, the exports are being done," Singh said. She, however, cautioned that the medicine should only be taken on the advice of doctors. India manufactures 70 per cent of the world's supply of hydroxychloroquine. Companies like IPCA and Zydus Cadila are the major manufacturers of hydroxychloroquine in the country. The Indian pharmaceutical industry earlier this week said there is enough stock of hydroxychloroquine in the country and drug firms are ready to ramp up the production to meet domestic as well as export requirements. India currently has an annual installed capacity of around 40 tonnes of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) of hydroxychloroquine. With this capacity, it can make around 200 million tablets of 200 mg, which can be ramped up, the Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association (IDMA) had said. The production capacity in the country is sufficient to meet the current demand. If the need arises, the companies are committed to ramp up production, the Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance had earlier told . India on Tuesday had decided to partially lift the ban on the export of anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine in sync with its global commitment to deal with the coronavirus pandemic. AKT HRS

Enough stock of hydroxychloroquine in India: Govt

New Delhi, Feb 29 () Following are the top business stories at 1910 hours: DEL7 BIZ-BHARTI AIRTELAGR dues: Bharti Airtel pays additional Rs 8,004 cr, claims compliance with SC judgementNew Delhi: Telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Saturday said that it has made additional payment of Rs 8,004 crore towards adjusted gross revenue dues to the Department of Telecom (DoT).DCM7 BIZ-RECEIPTSGovt's total receipts at Rs 12.82 lakh cr in April-JanNew Delhi: The Government's total receipts during April-January period of current fiscal stood at Rs 12.82 lakh crore, while total expenditure for the said period was Rs 22.68 lakh crore. DCM1 BIZ-SBI CARDSSBI Cards mops up Rs 2,769 cr from anchor investorsNew Delhi: SBI Cards and Payment Services has raised Rs 2,769 crore from 74 anchor investors, ahead of its initial share sale starting on March 2. DCM10 BIZ-PORTS-VPCreation of world-class infra at ports important for India to become USD 5 tn economy: Venkaiah NaiduNew Delhi: Creation of world-class infrastructure at ports is important for India to become a USD 5 trillion economy, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said on Saturday. DCM5 BIZ-RELIANCE-ALOK INDUSTRIESReliance picks up 37.7 pc stake in Alok IndustriesNew Delhi: Reliance Industries on Saturday said it has acquired 37.7 per cent stake in textile manufacturer Alok Industries Ltd for Rs 250 crore. DCM8 BIZ-ALLAHABAD BANK-LOANAllahabad Bank lowers external benchmark-linked loan pricingNew Delhi: State-owned Allahabad Bank on Saturday announced a cut of up to 40 basis points in interest rate on external benchmark-linked products. DCM6 BIZ-MERILLIFE-STENTSNPPA exempts Meril's stent from price control for 5 yearsNew Delhi: The national pharmaceutical regulator NPPA has exempted a new coronary stent developed by Meril Life Sciences from price control for five years under a provision of the Drug Price Control Order 2013. ABMABM

Business highlights

New Delhi, May 1 () The government on Friday said it has ordered 60,884 ventilators, of which 59,884 will be made by domestic manufacturers and 1,000 will be imported.The move is aimed at encouraging domestic manufacturing of medical equipment that are required in fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.Addressing a press briefing on the COVID-19 situation in the country, Pharma seceratry P D Vaghela, who is the chairman of the Empowered Group-3, said that currently 19,398 ventilators are available in the country.The major domestic players for this include Bharat Electronics Ltd (in collaboration with Skanray) to whom orders for 30,000 ventilators have been placed, AgVa (in collaboration with Maruti Suzuki Ltd) to whom orders for 10,000 ventilators have been awarded and AMTZ (AP Medtech Zone) to whom orders for 13,500 ventilators have been placed, Vaghela said. Regarding the oxygen and oxygen cylinders, he said the country was self-sufficient in both.The total manufacturing capacity of oxygen is 6,400 MT, of which around 1,000 MT is used for medical oxygen, he said adding that there are 5 big and 600 small manufacturers of oxygen. About 409 hospitals have their own oxygen generation and there are about 1,050 cryogenic tankers in the country, Vaghela said."Over 4 lakh oxygen cylinders are available; sufficient for today's requirements. Orders for more than 1 lakh oxygen cylinders have been placed and industrial oxygen is being converted into medical oxygen," he added.The orders for conversion of 60,000 cylinders have already been issued. On personal protective equipment (PPE), Vaghela said the government has ordered for 2.22 crore PPEs, of which orders to the tune of 1.42 crore have been placed with domestic manufacturers and 80 lakh PPEs are being imported.Earlier, there was no domestic manufacturing of PPEs in the country and almost all of them were imported. Within a short span of time, 107 manufacturers have been identified and facilitated, who have raised their daily production to about 1.87 lakh PPEs, he added.In addition to the existing material testing laboratory, that is SITRA (South India Textile Research Association), Coimbatore, 9 new laboratories have been added by the Defence Research &amp; Development Organisation (DRDO) and Ordinance Factory Board across various locations in the country, Vaghela said. Stating that the projected demand of N-95/N-99 masks till June has been estimated to be 2.72 crore, he added that orders to the tune of 2.49 crore of such masks have already been placed, of which orders to the tune of 1.49 crore have been with domestic manufacturers and about 1 crore N- 95 masks are being imported. About diagnostic kits, Vaghela said that against a demand of 35 lakh combined RT-PCR kits, orders have been placed for 21.35 lakh such kits, out of that orders for 2 lakh kits were awarded to the domestic manufacturers. As of Friday, a total of 13.75 lakh Combined RT-PCR kits have been received, he said.In order to keep a tab on production and supplies of drugs and medical equipment on continuous basis, two control rooms - at Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) and National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) have been set up for daily monitoring of production and supplies, Vaghela said.On stock availability of Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), he said its production has increased from 12.23 crore tablets to 30 crore per month. AKT MKJ

COVID-19: Govt orders 60,884 ventilators, of which 59,884 to be made by domestic firms

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) With chances of affordable Covid-19 vaccine likely to be available by February 2021, 59 per cent Indians divulged that they will not rush to take it, a survey revealed on Wednesday. The last few weeks have given hope to the world with three vaccine makers -- Pfizer, Moderna and Oxford-AstraZeneca releasing their efficacy data. Oxford-AstraZeneca has a partnership with Serum Institute of India for production and reports suggest that the vaccine could be available as early as February at Rs 500-600 per dose. With the possibility of an affordable vaccine by February 2021, a survey was conducted by 'LocalCircles' to understand the hesitancy levels. The survey received more than 25,000 responses from citizens across 262 districts of India. The first question in the survey asked, "The Covid-19 vaccine is likely to be available from February 2021 via private and Government channels. If that happens, what will be your approach to taking this vaccine?". Responses from 8,936 citizens were received. Of which, 8 per cent said, "I am a health or frontline worker and will get it on priority through the government", 13 per cent said "will get it as quickly as it becomes available via any healthcare channel", 11 per cent said "will get it as quickly as it becomes available via private healthcare channel". Another 59 per cent of respondents said that they will not rush to take the vaccine even if it is available in the near future. The perception of the majority of citizens sceptical on taking vaccine has not changed much as compared to the result of the survey conducted in mid-October by LocalCircles. Sixty-one per cent of 8,312 voters at the time had said they are sceptical about COVID-19 vaccine and will not rush to take it in 2021 even if it is available. Closer home in India, where Serum Institute of India is conducting trials for the vaccine under name Covishield, a participant who undertook the trial has alleged the vaccine of causing him serious side-effects, both neurological and psychological filing for damages against Serum. Serum has dismissed the claims as "oblique pecuniary motive" maintaining that the participant's suffering was independent of the vaccine trial he underwent and has sought damages for malicious allegations in excess of Rs 100 crores. According to some experts, Serum should have made the adverse event public with some already calling this low level of transparency on the vaccine and it possibly leading to increase in distrust amongst citizens. In July 2020, citizens via LocalCircles had alerted the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) on black marketing of Remdesivir leading to immediate issuance of an order by DCGI to all state drug controllers asking them to up enforcement against the same. Many posts have been received from citizens in the last 3 weeks raising concerns of black marketing of vaccine. The second question asked citizens, "Once the COVID-19 vaccine is ready and commercially available, what is the level of black-marketing risk do you envisage?". 8,934 responses were received. Notably, 72 per cent Indians believe that once the vaccine is available, there is a high risk of it being sold in the market. In mid-July, after the Remdesivir black marketing escalation, LocalCircles on citizen recommendation wrote to Department of Pharmaceuticals and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to implement serial number and bar code based tracking of vaccine from factory to administration to a patient such that there is no room for black-marketing. The same was acknowledged by Department of Pharmaceuticals which directed the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to evaluate the same. In early October, the Government announced the implementation of a digital platform to track the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine, movement, storage and distribution to individual beneficiaries. However the timeline of this platform's availability is still unclear. The third question asked citizens, "Should the vaccine be rolled out for hospitals only after a digital platform is introduced with the use of a unique serial number to track the supply of COVID-19 vaccine from factory to administration to citizens?". Of 7,786 responses, 65 per cent of citizens believe that the COVID-19 vaccine should not be rolled out till a digital platform to track every dose from factory to final administration to citizens is functional. With 65 per cent citizens believing that the vaccine should not be rolled for commercial or hospital use till the digital vaccine tracking platform is ready indicates that people of India believe that there is a high risk that the vaccine without a working digital platform could get in the wrong hands leading to black-marketing scenarios and even counterfeiting. The digital vaccine tracking platform would reportedly need to track the supply of close to 1.7 billion Covid-19 vaccine doses needed to immunise most of India's adult population - a mammoth task than any in the history, keeping in mind the country's experience with large immunisation campaigns. The Prime Minister has asked all States to set up steering committees and task forces, down to block level preparation for Covid-19 vaccine disbursal so India is prepared when the vaccine does become ready. --IANS aka/in

59% Indians sceptical about Covid-19 vaccine, won't rush to take it: Survey

New Delhi, Mar 13 () Following are the top business stories at 1846 hours: DEL108 BIZ-LD STOCKSMarkets test investors' nerves with wild swings;Sensex ends 1,325 pts up after hitting lower circuitMumbai: Markets took investors on a gut-churning ride on Friday, with trading being halted for the first time in 12 years as benchmarks plunged over 10 per cent in opening trade, before staging an emphatic comeback powered by banking, finance and energy stocks.DEL116 BIZ-RUPEE-CLOSERupee rebounds 48 paise to 73.80 a dollar on RBI assuranceMumbai: Rebounding from its record low of 74.50, the rupee traded higher by 48 paise at 73.80 against the US currency on Friday after the Reserve Bank's assurance that steps will be taken to maintain sufficient liquidity in the panick-stricken currency market.DEL138 BIZ-TRADEExports post first rise in 7 months, grow by 2.91 pc in FebNew Delhi: India's exports rose for the first time in seven months in February growing by 2.91 per cent to USD 27.65 billion, according to the commerce ministry data released on Friday. DEL88 CAB-FM-STOCKSGovt, RBI closely monitoring markets: FMNew Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government and the Reserve Bank are closely monitoring the stock market, which is facing intense volatility amid mounting coronavirus fears. DEL46 BIZ-LD SEBIReady to take any action as required, says Sebi amid steep mkt volatilityNew Delhi: Sebi on Friday said the regulator and stock exchanges are prepared to "take any action" as required to deal with market volatility, hours after trading was halted for 45 minutes. DEL134 CAB-LD YESBANKMoratorium on Yes Bank to go soon; govt approves bailout planNew Delhi: Cash withdrawal restrictions and other moratorium conditions on Yes Bank will be lifted within 3 days of "very soon" to be notified SBI-led bailout plan for the beleaguered lender, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Friday.DEL63 BIZ-RBI LIQUIDITYCoronavirus: RBI says 'closely monitoring' situation, will take measures for market stabilityMumbai: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Friday said it is closely monitoring the current global situation and assured that it will take all steps to keep markets adequately liquid and stable.DEL43 BIZ-FINMIN-STOCK MARKETGovt, RBI to take all necessary steps to quell 'fear sentiment' around coronavirus: CEANew Delhi: The government and the RBI will take all necessary steps to quell the "fear sentiment" created due to coronavirus, Chief Economic Advisor Krishnamurthy Subramanian said on Friday. DCM20 BIZ-MARKETS-HALTBourses halt trading for first time in 12 yearsNew Delhi: Stock market witnessed a halt in trading for the first time in more than 12 years on Friday morning after benchmarks hit circuit breakers on panic selling triggered by concerns over coronavirus pandemic.DEL20 BIZ-AIR INDIAGovt extends deadline to bid for Air India till Apr 30New Delhi: The government on Friday extended the deadline for submitting bids for buying 100 per cent stake in Air India till April 30. DCM5 BIZ-SIAM-LD AUTOSALESAutomobile sales down 19.08%; economic slowdown, BS-VI transition take tollNew Delhi: Automobile sales in India across categories declined 19.08 per cent in February as economic slowdown continued to hit demand, besides lower production in view of transition to BS-VI emission norms affecting wholesale dispatches, auto industry body SIAM said on Friday. DCM37 CAB-BIZ-COPRA-PRICEGovt hikes milling copra MSP by Rs 439/qtl; ball copra MSP by Rs 380/qtlNew Delhi: The government on Friday approved an increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of milling copra by Rs 439 per quintal and ball copra by Rs 380 per quintal as part of its effort to boost farmers income. DCM36 BIZ-NCLT-JETAIRWAYSJet Airways RP seeks 90 days extension for bids from NCLTMumbai: Jet Airways' resolution professional on Friday filed an application in National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) seeking 90 days extension for the corporate insolvency resolution process of the defunct carrier. DEL93 CORONAVIRUS-BIZ-NPPANPPA asks state regulators to ensure masks, sanitisers not sold above MRPNew Delhi: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority(NPPA) on Friday asked states and Union Territories (UTs) to ensure that masks and sanitisers are not sold above their maximum retail price. RUJRUJ

<ul><li>According to a Lancet report, every one out of two children with cancer dies undiagnosed and untreated. </li><li>Nearly 92% of the cases have been from low-income or middle-income countries. </li><li>Around 60% of the countries across the globe don’t have cancer registries important for policy makers and planning decisions to decrease cancer incidences.</li></ul>Amid a global crisis of cancer, a recent study has shown that nearly 60% of countries don’t even have cancer registries to record prevailing childhood cancer conditions — resulting in untreated cancer cases and deaths. According to the report in Lancet Oncology journal, childhood cancer goes substantially undiagnosed and untreated. Nearly 45% of children having cancer worldwide never get diagnosed and end up dying due to no medical treatment. This means every one in two children fall prey to <a href="https://www.hindustantimes.com/fitness/nearly-half-of-children-with-cancer-untreated-study/story-vaNRXfQ7fvc0UtJZqDhR3I.html">cancer-caused deaths</a>. In fact, in the United States, despite having advanced system in place for cancer detection, about 1,800 child deaths were recorded due to cancer this year. After heart diseases, cancer is the second biggest killer in India. As per World Health Organisation (WHO), the cancer cases in the nation will be <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/cancer-crisis-in-india-national-cancer-institute-5598853/">five times</a> more by 2025. As an initiative to step up efforts to curb the growing problem of cancer in the country, India's National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/nppa-india-has-capped-the-retail-prices-of-42-cancer-drugs/articleshow/68186802.cms">capped the prices of 42 medicines</a> that are used to treat different types of cancers specifying that the retail price of these drugs cannot be over 30% of the cost of procurement. Taking into account population projections, it is estimated that there will be 6.7 million cases of <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(18)30909-4/fulltext">childhood cancer worldwide</a> from 2015 to 2030, the report highlighted. Considering the current levels of healthcare systems, 2.9 million cases of childhood cancer will be missed between 2015 and 2030. While a lot of people globally face challenges in medical help and healthcare, the disease’s global footprint has revealed that <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/health/article/1-in-2-kids-with-cancer-left-undiagnosed-globally-lancet/373511">nearly 92%</a> of the new cases registered for child cancer happen to be in low-income and middle-income countries. To cut down on the number of needless deaths universally, the United Nations must prioritise cancer in children to its Sustainable Development Goals, Professor Rifat Atun reportedly said. According to the conclusions drawn from the report, on an average, about 400,000 cases are registered globally every year for child cancer. The registered cases have been about 200,000 this year. Globally, there were 397,000 childhood cases recorded in 2015, out of which only 224,000 were diagnosed — which means 43% cases went untreated. This includes most of the cases of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, adding 75,000 new cases during the same period. The <keyword id="400282" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Lancet-study">Lancet study</keyword> analysed cancer incidences for 200 countries, considering factors such as population growth and urbanicity, geographical variation and heath system performances among others. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/nppa-india-has-capped-the-retail-prices-of-42-cancer-drugs/articleshow/68186802.cms">India has capped the retail prices of 42 cancer drugs</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/working-night-shifts-adversely-affecting-health/articleshow/67738903.cms">Working night shifts can do irreversible damage to your DNA, says study</a>

Half of childhood cancer cases go undiagnosed, says a Lancet study

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/57232444.cms" /> 
Major life-saving devices cannot be used to earn profit. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority on February 14 slashed stent prices by over 75%. Including VAT, drug eluting stents (DES) and bioresorbable vascular scaffolds (BVS) will now only cost heart patients Rs 31,080, while bare metal stents (BMS) would cost Rs 7,623. 
 
Earlier private hospitals were earning major profits from these stents. The decision is expected to break the nexus between manufacturers, doctors and hospitals that have led to "unethical" markups in the prices of these stents, according to The Economic Times. 
 
 
"In short, the Authority noted that there is no value addition or financial stakes in trade at the level of hospitals and that maximum price distortion and hike takes place at that level," NPPA chairman Bhupendra Singh told ET. "Legally as well as ethically, hospitals cannot and should not charge margins," he added. 
 
According to data from the drug pricing regulator, hospitals were found earning exorbitant margins on stents-over 650% in some cases. 
 
The body has already made it mandatory for institutions performing stenting procedures to bill patients separately for the device. It has also teamed up with State Drug Controllers to monitor and act upon any hikes in doctors' fees and other procedure costs.

Major relief to patients: Cardiac
stents to cost 75% less now

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/51715999.cms" /> <keyword id="6358361" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Biocon">Biocon</keyword> CMD <keyword id="6413985" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kiran-Mazumdar-Shaw">Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw</keyword> today took a huge step to enable the pharma sector to build scale to be globally competitive she asked the government to refrain from 'ad hoc' measures and sought a five year exemption from drug price control. 

	Mazumdar-Shaw, who was here to attend the meeting of Board of Trade, said: "When we are trying to invest in expansions, scale up and creating global scale, we need exemption from price control at least for a period of five years." 
 

	Explaining the rationale for such a demand, she told PTI: "This will incentivise investments in our sector because I really believe that this sector is trying to build global scales." 
 

	Criticising the manner in which the government has tried to bring more medicines under price control, she said: "The moment you introduce price control on products that we are investing in a very ad hoc way, I think this also disincentivises investment." 
 

	Later on speaking to reporters after the meeting, she said: "How do you incentivise the pharma sector if you are going to bring in drug price control (in an ad hoc manner)?" 
 

	She further said: "If you are making a huge investment, you need a certain returns on investment (RoI), you need be to be assured of that RoI but suddenly mid-term you cannot impose a price control." 
 

	During the Board of Trade meeting, which met after a gap of three years, she said it was discussed "how do we bring in policies that give you some stability and predictability in what your investments and return of investments can be." 
 

	In 2014, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority ( NPPA) had brought prices of over 100 non-scheduled drugs under price control invoking paragraph 19 of Drug Price Control Order. 
 

	Several industry bodies, including Indian Pharma Alliance ( IPA), had criticised the NPPA's move to cap prices of medicines not under the National List of Essential Medicines ( NLEM). 
 Currently, the government has increased the number of drugs under price control to over 800 formulations, from 628 earlier, bringing medicines used for treatment of diseases such as cancer, <keyword id="63552" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="HIV/AIDS">HIV/AIDS</keyword>, analgesics and cardiovascular diseases under its purview. 

	Stressing on exports, which is a main area of focus, she said it was discussed on how to make "our SEZs more competitive and how do we really focus on the pharma sector, which has already got a global stature and really built greater scale, to make us very very strong and competitive."

	 
	 
	(Image credits: indiatimes)

Kiran Mazumdar seeks 5 year exemption from drug price control

<ul><li>Generic drugs from India and China may clash with a campaign in US led by former Ranbaxy whistleblower Dinesh Thakur.</li><li>In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, Thakur revealed his plan to force regulatory changes in US.</li><li><keyword id="7651171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="katherine-ebans-new-book">Katherine Eban's new book</keyword>, <keyword id="7651172" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="bottle-of-lies">Bottle of Lies</keyword>, raises alarming concerns about generic drugs in the US.</li><li>This will be an added challenge for Indian drug makers already faced with pricing pressures in US.</li></ul>These are not the best of times for Indian pharma companies. Recently, a US lawsuit alleged that Sun Pharma’s Taro amongst other generic drug makers colluded with each other to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/seven-indian-pharma-companies-are-being-dragged-into-a-us-lawsuit-over-high-drug-prices/articleshow/69318841.cms">keep prices high</a>. The news spooked pharma stocks and lost nearly 10% of their value in less than a month. But, there is more bad news to come. A <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/us-generic-drugs-risk-rises-for-indian-pharma-after-new-book-launch/articleshow/69332570.cms">frightening new book</a> called ‘Bottle of Lies’ by Katherine Eban accuses generic drugs of poisoning. This exposé sounds a death knell to Indian generic drug makers, who sell off-patent drugs to US and Europe. At the heart of this ‘cheap generics’ argument is a man called Dinesh Thakur who was a director at Ranbaxy ten years back. He blew the lid off of illegal practices by Indian pharmacos cutting corners and compromising on quality, <a href="https://dineshthakur.com/about-2/">before quitting the company in 2005</a>. Now, he is going a bit further to bring in a law where a consumer can know “where” the medicine in manufactured. Will he win the campaign to make drugs safer? Business Insider caught up with the man at the centre of this freshly brewing storm. Here are the edited excerpts. Katherine’s book and the whole conversation around it, is it coming across as something that is targeting Indian companies? The issue of data integrity is not unique to India. We see these problems here in the US as well. We see these problems in China, we have seen similar problems in Europe. The issue is what is it that we are going to do differently. Up until now, the people who really talked about this were people who worked in the industry or policymakers. A book like this puts the issue in the hands of common people who are patients and consumers. So, the conversation is much broader. To answer the question that you are asking, you know, does this mean we are trying to bash India, absolutely not. There is discussion about a big US manufacturer in there. It’s not just limited to India. What will be your next step in the US? In the US context, there is clearly a model that the FDA has followed. In 2012, the US Congress broadened the remit of the FDA, which was a local agency until then. It did not have offices outside of the country (US). Now we are pushing Congress to look at the data and see if the model works. If it’s not, what do we need to do differently. We are asking the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees the Department of Health and Human Services, under which FDA comes, we are asking the committee to hold public hearings and have this discussion. That’s on the regulatory side. There are things that can be done from the patient’s side. For example, there is no legal requirement right now for the retail medicine to disclose where a certain product is manufactured. One of the things we are pushing for is for the Congress to make a law to disclose this. What it does is to put the power in the hands of the people. When I go and buy my medicines from a local pharmacy here, I can look it up and say this medicine was made in Shanghai in China, or this was made in a facility in India, and I can then decide whether I want to buy that medicine or not. Today, we don’t have that information. Do you have any political backing for this? We have a bunch of like-minded people trying to create some public awareness and in the Congress. Isn’t this against the tone taken by the Trump administration, which wants to make medicines affordable. Adding compliance costs might not help. Do you the government will go for this? The discussion on price, especially in the US, is centered around patented medicines, because those are really, really expensive. Most of the medicines made in India and China have very low price points -- typically between $10-$15 for a 30-day course. A part of what we are trying to do is highlight, that you can only cut the bone only so thin. After a point, there is not going to be any meat on it. The discussion is also about how low can you go before you stop manufacturers from cutting corners. This argument again plays into the hands of the multinationals, as we call them here. It takes the argument away from the cost of drugs to the quality and safety. My answer was in the US context. In India, the context is completely different. We have price controls. We have the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which determines the prices of essential medicines. There is no equivalent of that in the US. But Indian companies are also focussed more on the US. They are more worried about what’s happening in the US. I agree with you completely. The advocacy we do in India will be very different from what we do in the US. What has been the political response in the US so far? The book has just come out. We are just starting this campaign. We had a similar campaign in 2015, after the Ranbaxy case broke. But at that time, the response was---we have this new law and we have to give it some time for it to take effect. We have an election next year. The price of prescription drugs is a big issue. When the Ranbaxy case came to light, one of the arguments as that the standards cannot be the same for US, a developed market, and India, where providing medicines itself is a big challenge. Will that challenge remain in India? I believe so. Unfortunately, the big difference between India and the US is that we have a lot of data here (US). The institutions here make decisions based on data. Unfortunately, India doesn’t do that. The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) is the most opaque of organisations. I have been dealing with them for six years right now. Having said that, how do you make the case that someone who is making Rs 500 a day and has to spend Rs 200 on medicines, and if the medicine doesn’t work, what system do we have capture that information? In India, we don’t even a system to recall drugs. Your next few months of advocacy will be focussed on the US. Is there another Ranbaxy kind of incident that you have come across in the recent months, which will be a part of your campaign? In the book, there are two or three companies that there is a deep dive into. So, the book does a deep dive into Ranbaxy on what really happened there. There is also a deep dive into Wockhardt. Now that the book is public, I can talk about it. There is also a deep dive into Mylan, which is a West Virginia, US-based company. On the question of regulations, do you think there is a need to revisit the settlement process? The book goes into detail about jurisdiction. While the FDA has the mandate to inspect a foreign facility, how do you prosecute in a foreign jurisdiction? Who will serve a subpoena in a foreign country? I think that’s a discussion that has to happen at the Congressional level but I am not qualified to answer that. Can the FDA have a SEC kind of approach while dealing with violations? There are examples in the book that will make your hair stand. Why is it that the penalties we impose on serial wrong-doers are purely financial? That’s a good question. To what extent can we hold individuals accountable, not just impose financial penalties, which is cost of doing business. You take a risk and if you get caught, you just pay money and move on. Unless you hold individuals accountable, some of this behaviour won’t change. Hopefully, this book will create that level of awareness among people so that we can demand, when it comes to healthcare, it should not be a SEC kind of settlement. Do you think Indian companies have come a long way in the last six years? I think so…. But we really have to change the attitude that we have one set of standards for the local market and another for the export market. Unless that changes, all the improvements we are trying to make… What have we spent money doing? We have upgraded our plants, we have made them clean, sterile, and we got new equipment. We have invested a lot in third-party training. We have hired consultants who charge $8,000 a day. That’s what we have been doing for the last five years. Right? But the real problem is where do send the people you hire at the bottom for training? You train them to make products for India and you train them to cut corners. Two years later, when they ask for a promotion, where do you promote them to? Export market. You think all that you taught them in the first 3-4 years, they are going to forget it the moment they work on an export market? It doesn’t work like that. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/us-generic-drugs-risk-rises-for-indian-pharma-after-new-book-launch/articleshow/69332570.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">A frightening new book on the safety of generic drugs could send India’s pharma industry into an even deeper pit</a>

The man who brought Ranbaxy to its knees is pushing for ‘Made in India’ tag on drugs sold in US

<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e0baea7855cc266391a6c04-2400/bb2d4d7857a47d2a2079cc60d25b609c.jpg" alt="FILE - In this May 8, 2019, file photo Uber and Lyft drivers carry signs during a demonstration outside of Uber headquarters in San Francisco. A California law that makes it harder for companies to treat workers as independent contractors takes effect next week, forcing small businesses in and outside the state to rethink their staffing. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)" />Associated PressUber and Lyft drivers carry signs during a demonstration outside of Uber headquarters in San Francisco. A California law that makes it harder for companies to treat workers as independent contractors takes effect this week, forcing small businesses in and outside the state to rethink their staffing. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)<ul class="summary-list"><li>California Assembly Bill 5 (AB5) goes into effect on January 1, 2020. </li><li>AB5 is codifying a California Supreme Court decision made in April 2018 as a result of the Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court case. </li><li>Once this bill is in effect, all workers are considered employees. The hiring party must use an ABC test to prove that they are independent contractors. </li><li>Some occupations are exempt from AB5, but they must still pass the Borello test to determine their independent-contractor status. Freelancers can no longer submit more than 35 separate pieces of content to a single client in one year or less. </li><li>Many independent contractors are misclassified and will be converted to full-time employees, have their workload cut to 35 content submissions or less, or lose their roles completely - unless they can figure out how to pass the ABC test.</li><li>In addition to abiding by the 35-piece submission rule, freelancers who want to remain independent should talk to their employers, take steps to make sure they can pass both the ABC and Borello tests, and consider consulting a lawyer.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul>Today, <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201920200AB5">California Assembly Bill 5</a> (referred to as AB5) goes into effect.Authored by Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-bill-to-treat-contract-workers-as-employees-2019-9">signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom in September</a>, the bill's main purpose is to require California employers to adhere to a stricter definition of "independent contractor." As a result, countless companies will likely have to reclassify many of their current independent contractors as employees, thus allowing those workers to benefit from traditional labor protections and minimum wage laws. AB5 is codifying an April 2018 decision made by California's Supreme Court in a case called <a href="https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/2018/s222732.html">Dynamex Operations West, Inc. v. Superior Court</a>, in which the court determined that a company called Dynamex incorrectly labeled their drivers as independent contractors. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tonymarks/2018/05/29/the-california-supreme-court-deals-a-blow-to-independent-contractors/#1f262aec70a1">Because of Dynamex</a>, there's now a presumption that all California workers are employees, not independent contractors, unless the hiring party proves otherwise. Two other states already have a law like this - <a href="https://www.mass.gov/service-details/independent-contractors">Massachusetts</a> and <a href="http://www.vec.virginia.gov/employers/employee-or-independent-contractor">Virginia</a> - and <a href="https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2018/Bills/S4500/4204_R1.PDF">New Jersey proposed a similar bill</a> on November 7, 2019. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-bill-to-treat-contract-workers-as-employees-2019-9">AB5 could affect over one million Californians</a>, including rideshare drivers, <a href="https://www.centerlinedrivers.com/resource-center/resource-center/2019/10/01/ab5-trucking-industry">approximately 70,000 truck drivers</a>, freelance creatives, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-californias-bill-will-impact-fissured-workforce-2019-9">more</a>. Here's an overview of how it works, who exactly it'll affect, and what California freelancers can do about it. <h1>The reasoning behind AB5</h1>Gonzalez proposed AB5 because <a href="https://a80.asmdc.org/press-releases/governor-signs-lorena-gonzalezs-ab-5-stop-misclassification-and-protect-millions">she believes many employers have misclassified individuals as independent contractors</a> in an effort to cut costs, a shortcut she thinks has unfair and detrimental consequences for those workers.This is a nationwide problem. An IRS audit found that <a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/5/30/18642535/california-ab5-misclassify-employees-contractors">misclassification actually led to over $44 billion in unpaid taxes</a> from 2008 to 2010.In addition, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrHyOcGePS4">Gonzalez stated in an interview</a> that she's heard of way too many Lyft and Uber drivers who are barely able to make a living, despite the fact that when both Lyft and Uber went public, several of their current and former top executives became <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lyft-ipo-paying-off-big-time-for-these-10-people-2019-2#john-zimmer-cofounder-and-president-479-million-2">multimillionaires</a> - and others made <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ipo-here-is-who-is-getting-rich-2019-4#benchmark-capital-62-billion-2">billions</a>. Her solution to that? AB5. <h1>How AB5 works </h1>Post Dynamex, every worker is <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/understanding-employee-vs-contractor-designation">considered an employee</a> - meaning they're entitled to any benefits the company offers, and the company controls when and how they do their work - unless all three parts of the following ABC test are true:A. The worker must be free from the hiring company's control in how and when they do their job.B. The worker must perform work outside of the hiring company's core business.C. The worker is customarily engaged in an independently established trade, occupation, or business of the same nature as the work performed for the hiring entity.There are <a href="https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/exempt-job-categories-under-californias-new-ab5-law.html">several occupations exempt from AB5</a>, such as accountants, insurance brokers, and investment advisors. For them, the ABC test isn't necessary, but <a href="https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/exempt-job-categories-under-californias-new-ab5-law.html">those individuals do still have to pass the Borello test</a>, which has been in place since before Dynamex."The Borello test looks at 11 factors, none of which are determinative, such as whether their work is part of the client's regular business, the degree of permanence of the working relationship, and whether or not the parties believe they're in an employer-employee relationship," explained Alicia Calzada, deputy general counsel of the National Press Photographers' Association (NPPA), an organization that represents and advocates for visual journalists all over the country. <a href="https://nppa.org/sites/default/files/NPPA%20AB5%20Press%20Release%2012-17-19%20fin.pdf">They filed a lawsuit against AB5 in mid-December</a>.Under the Borello test, Uber and Lyft could classify their drivers as independent contractors because <a href="https://www.mintz.com/insights-center/viewpoints/2226/2019-09-california-law-impacts-all-categories-independent">not all 11 factors had to be met in order to achieve independent contractor status</a> for their drivers. The main priority was to ensure that workers controlled when and how they worked. Since drivers can choose when they pick up passengers and how long they drive for each day, this wasn't an issue. But now, thanks to AB5, Lyft and Uber are subject to the ABC test and must satisfy all three parts, which will be quite difficult for them to do. When it comes to part 'b,' drivers directly contribute to the core business. What would these rideshare companies do without drivers? And in regards to part 'c,' drivers likely aren't operating a rideshare platform of their own. As for freelance creatives - writers, editors, photographers, designers, and so forth - they can no longer <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-labor-jobs-law-bad-confusing-freelance-workers-2019-11">submit more than 35 pieces of content to a single employer in one year</a>. According to the new stipulations of AB5, submitting more than 35 moves them out of the classification of independent contractor and into employee status. <h1>Who AB5 will affect</h1>AB5 will affect pretty much anyone who isn't already classified as an employee (whether full-time, part-time, or hourly), as they'll have to take a look at their role and ensure they're not incorrectly classified as an independent contractor. However, the burden of proving that someone is an independent contractor falls solely on the shoulders of the hiring party, not the worker.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e0bafc0855cc27514114b46-800/image 2.png" alt="Kiffanie Stahle" />Kiffanie StahleKiffanie Stahle.Kiffanie Stahle, founder of <a href="http://stahlelaw.com/">Stahle Law</a>, a law firm that serves creative businesses, and <a href="https://theartistsjd.com/">the artist's JD</a>, a suite of resources that helps creative entrepreneurs understand the legal aspects of their businesses, said that the workers who'll feel the impact the most are those who never should've been labeled as an independent contractor in the first place."Those [independent contractors] providing services integral to the hiring party's business will be most affected because those businesses will start understanding the risks," she said. And they're not going to want to take those risks any longer, she added.Workers incorrectly classified as independent contractors will either be converted to employee status, experience reduced work loads (such as freelancers who'll go from more than 35 submissions a year to less), or lose their role completely, should the employer not want to make them full time or lack the funds to do so."Both freelancers and publications based in California will need to adhere to the 35-submission limit," said Calzada. "All of this will have a chilling effect on those who have been freelancing as journalists and news photographers for years."Michael Grecco, <a href="https://michaelgrecco.com/">an award-winning photographer and film director in California</a>, can't predict exactly how much AB5 will affect his livelihood, but he doesn't think it'll be favorable. "[AB5] will limit the number of shoots I can do for any one client before they have to move on to the next [photographer]," he explained. "I can only deal with it when the situation arises, though." A recurring client could reach out to Grecco and request a shoot the very next day. But if he has already reached his 35-piece limit for them, he'll have to say no to the opportunity - and probably a good chunk of revenue, too.Though the law isn't in effect yet, many have already felt its impact. Vox Media, for example, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-ab5-bill-left-freelancers-out-of-work-2019-12">has already cut 200 freelancers due to AB5</a>, opting to replace them with 20 full-time employees.<h1>How California freelancers can navigate AB5</h1>For some independent workers, AB5 could be a good thing. Already, <a href="https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article238520578.html">a group of Uber drivers has sued Uber</a> in an effort to receive back pay and retroactive benefits dating back to the Dynamex decision in April 2018. Conversely, Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash are fighting the bill by <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-lyft-ab5-ballot-initiative-california-gig-economy-law-2019-10">trying to get a referendum on the 2020 ballot</a>, the California Trucking Association is <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-postmates-sue-to-challenge-californias-new-labor-law-2019-12">actively challenging the bill</a> because<a href="https://millerpublicaffairsgroup.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/i/5C8C2041E162EAD22540EF23F30FEDED/0BA40D72B0D647429E794568BD214575?fbclid=IwAR1PD-aW28Jyx9mn5L0EZg47B5gkpCqHQXmalfP_CaNKLwiiGlVZ8AdvWcg"> it will prevent so many truck drivers from being able to do their jobs</a> (even though many have invested $150,000 in their own equipment), and a few companies claim <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/uber-postmates-sue-california-calling-gig-law-unconstitutional-1028789141">AB5 is unconstitutional</a> because it violates equal protection and due-process clauses of the Constitution.For many freelancers - especially those who want to remain independent - AB5 could be detrimental. Two <a href="https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/12/17/ab5-california-freelance-journalists-lawsuit/">groups representing freelancers have filed a suit</a> to get the part of the law that will affect them removed.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e0baffc855cc275186a7055-1187/20100616greccomichaelheadshotsmgp8809b.jpg" alt="Michael Grecco" />Michael GreccoMichael Grecco."The heart of the bill is a good idea - get freelancers who are regularly working for one particular client benefits," Grecco shared. "This would've been great 15 years ago, but these days photographers, writers, and outlets are barely hanging on. It's not a good time to try to give benefits in an industry that will end up cutting jobs because they can't afford to provide benefits."If you're a freelancer in California and you want to stay independent, here's some advice from Stahle and Chas Ramphenthal, general counsel of <a href="https://www.legalzoom.com/">LegalZoom</a>, an online legal tech company.<h2>Figure out your clients' intentions</h2>Just because the law goes into effect on January 1 doesn't mean all employers will act right away. Don't just sit around waiting to see if they'll say something."The first thing a worker who wants to stay independent should do is get an idea if their hiring company is planning to treat them as an employee [going forward] or worse - terminate the contractor relationship based on the law," Ramphenthal advised.<h2>Take steps to pass the ABC test</h2>If you don't pass the ABC test as is, try to work with your employer so you can. This includes: tweaking your job description and duties, having a written contract that stipulates that you have control over how and when you do your work, establishing an official business entity, and marketing your business. "It can be as simple as building a website showing you're open for business, including a way for potential clients to request you to work for them," said Rampenthal.<img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5e0bb022855cc26d3502d5e8-630/legalzoomchasrampenthal.jpg" alt="Chas Ramphenthal" />Chas RamphenthalChas Ramphenthal.To ensure you can also pass the Borello test, Stahle said you should get a business license, have a W9 form on file that you automatically send to new clients, and be able to easily provide proof that you work with other clients, such as building out a sales page discussing the services you offer or getting referrals from current clients. "Get the name of one or two current clients who are willing to function as a reference and confirm that you work for them," Stahle said. "Under the business-to-business exemption [of the Borello test], one of the requirements is that you actually have other clients." Ramphenthal also advised providing your own tools, vehicles, and workspace. And, if you happen to work out of a company's office, "try to spend as little time there as possible, and do it in a manner where it's up to you, not the company." In other words, you decide when you go there and how long you stay - not them.If you only have one client, it's time to start branching out, as it will be nearly impossible to be classified as an independent contractor if you only do work for one employer. <h2>Adhere to the 35-submissions-per-client limit</h2>As Grecco mentioned, this could be very hard to plan for, as you never know when a client might need work. It also will impact your income. But as of now, unless the previously-mentioned lawsuit succeeds, this is a rule you need to abide by. So, as much as you can, take steps to estimate how many submissions you have planned for each client, and make sure to track them consistently throughout the year. Take note: If you submit work to publications of different names that have the same parent company, you need to talk to them to ask if the 35-piece submission rule is per publication or for the parent company as a whole.<h2>Consult with a lawyer</h2>Seeking advice from someone who knows the ins and outs of the law is never a bad idea, especially because you can ask about details specific to your situation. Of course, legal advice can be expensive, so Stahle suggested <a href="https://www.calawyersforthearts.org/">California Lawyers for the Arts</a>, an organization she worked for while she was in law school. For a low cost, they'll pair you with an attorney with whom you can have a 20-minute consultation. (Stahle also has <a href="https://theartistsjd.com/downloads/ab5/">a webinar about AB5 that you can check out</a>.) Take a good look at how you currently operate as an independent contractor to see if you'll be affected. If you think the bill will negatively impact you, figure out your next steps. And don't hesitate to reach out to a lawyer to make sure you're on the right track.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/future-of-retail?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=ctgr_bii&amp;itm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;itm_content=uber&amp;itm_campaign=future-of-retail-2"><img src="https://static.businessinsider.com/image/5dcb11a63afd37083c1cbb6b" alt="Exclusive FREE Slide Deck: Future of Retail: Delivery &amp; Fulfillment by Business Insider Intelligence" style="width: 100% !important" /></a> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tornadoes-more-us-than-anywhere-else-world-2019-5">Each year, the US gets around 4 times as many twisters as the rest of the world combined - here's why</a></h3> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/HLocQOcZ-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;"></iframe>

Everything contractors and freelancers need to know about navigating California's new Assembly Bill 5, which is set to drastically change the gig economy in the state

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The man who brought Ranbaxy to its knees is pushing for ‘Made in India’ tag on drugs sold in US

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Everything contractors and freelancers need to know about navigating California's new Assembly Bill 5, which is set to drastically change the gig economy in the state

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