NPPA starts procedure to fix price of condoms

It's been decided to have two prices- one for basic utility condoms and other for pleasure condoms

In a latest notification, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has initiated the process of fixing the price of condoms. As part of the process of price fixation, the NPPA has asked manufacturers to provide it with details of prices to retailers.

The pharmaceutical pricing authority has decided to have two different prices- one for basic utility condoms and the other for pleasure condoms. The pharma pricing regulator has asked manufacturers to submit a price list along with "supporting documents like invoices to retailer and samples of August 2015."

Condoms have been part of the National List of Essential Medicines from 2003 onwards. Subsequently it was incorporated in the schedule 1 of the Drug Price Control Order 2012 as per the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy (NPPP) after which the NPPA could cap its price.

The NPPA's decision to previously cap the price of condoms was challenged by companies at the Delhi High Court over the procedure followed in determining the price cap for condoms.Pharma companies Reckitt Benckiser and J K Ansell Ltd (JKAL) in their pleas with the Delhi High Court challenged the two NPPA orders and contended that condoms were not drugs, but were rather devices and thus, cannot be included in DPCO 2013. In their petition, the two pharma firms had claimed that their products are luxury products "meant for pleasure" and had sought clarification on whether the current ceiling would apply only to utility condoms and whether NPPA was proposing to fix a separate cap on "pleasure condoms".NPPA by its November 5, 2013 order had initially capped condom prices at Rs 6.56 per unit and this was later increased to Rs 8.04 by its July 10, 2014, notification.

Arjun Juneja, Director at Mankind Pharma refused to comment on the development.

Industry estimates are that Skore Condoms distributed by Chennai-based TTK healthcare Company has a market share of around 10% .Mankind pharma has been the leader with its Manforce having a market share of around 32%. Moods condoms has around 16-17%. Durex has around 2-3% and Kohinoor have a market share of 7-8%%.

The NPPA's decision comes at a time when there is already controversy over the its decision to cap prices of all Drug Eluting Stents under one bracket.