126 drugs cheaper by over 40% as govt fixes ceiling

Prices of another 34 drugs has come down in the range of 35-40%

Government has fixed the ceiling price of 530 essential medicines that has resulted in price reduction of over 40% in case of 126 drugs, Parliament was informed today.

"National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the ceiling price of 530 medicines, out of 680 NLEM medicines (628 net medicines) that are under the scheduled category of DPCO 2013," said Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Hansraj Gangaram Ahir in Rajya Sabha.

Out of 530 drugs, above 40% price reduction has happened in case of 126 medicines, while prices of 34 drugs has come down in the range of 35-40%.

The drug pricing regulator has reduced the price of 26 medicines by 30-35% while prices of 49 drugs have been reduced in the range of 25-30%, Ahir said.

While the prices of 65 medicines have been reduced in the range of 20-25%, 43 medicines have witnessed the price reduction in the range of 15 to 20%, he added.

Moreover, 57 drugs saw price reduction of 10-15%, price of 50 drugs were reduced in range of 5-10%. In case of 80 medicines the reduction with respect to maximum price was between 0 to 5%, Ahir said.

NPPA mandate is to fix or revise the prices of controlled bulk drugs and formulations and to enforce prices and availability of the medicines in the country.

It also monitors prices of decontrolled drugs in order to keep them at reasonable levels.