NEW DELHI: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) announced on Monday that it has approved a 50 per cent increase in price for 11 scheduled formulations of eight drugs used in treating Asthma, Glaucoma, Thalassemia, Tuberculosis, mental health disorders, etc.
The step to raise the prices of drugs was taken after NPPA received applications from manufacturers for upward revision of prices citing various reasons.
“After detailed deliberations in the full authority meeting held on October 8 invoking extraordinary powers under Para 19 of the DPCO, 2013, and in the larger public interest, NPPA has approved an increase in the ceiling prices of eleven (11) scheduled formulations of eight (8) drugs by 50% of their current ceiling prices,” according to a statement issued by the Union Health Ministry.
“Most of these drugs are low-cost and generally used as first-line treatment crucial to the public health programmes of the country. These drugs are used for the treatment of Asthma, Glaucoma, Thalassemia, Tuberculosis, mental health disorders, etc,” it said.
The formulations whose ceiling prices have been revised include Benzyl Penicillin 10 lakh IU injection; Atropine injection 06.mg/ml; Streptomycin powder for injection 750 mg and 1,000 mg; Salbutamol tablet 2 mg and 4 mg and respirator solution 5 mg/ml; Pilocarpine 2 percent drops; Cefadroxil tablet 500 mg, Desferrioxamine 500 mg for injection; and Lithium tablets 300 mg.
The statement said NPPA has been receiving applications from manufacturers for upward revision of prices citing various reasons including the increased cost of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients; increase in the cost of production; change in exchange rate etc; resulting in unviability in sustainable production and marketing of drugs.
“Companies have also applied for discontinuation of some of the formulations on account of their unviability,” it added.
The NPPA’s mandate is to ensure the availability of essential drugs at affordable prices and ensure affordability without jeopardising access to such medicines.
“The essential drugs must remain available to address the public health needs of the country and their price regulation should not lead to a situation where these drugs become unavailable in the market,” the NPPA said.
Price revisions of controlled medicines are taken annually in line with the wholesale price index (WPI), or when input costs increase, etc.
Earlier such extraordinary powers were invoked by NPPA in 2019 and in 2021 whereby the price of 21 and 9 formulations respectively were increased by 50% to ensure continued availability of essential drugs for the public.