Govt caps prices of 52 more 'essential' drugs
Lupin, Cadila Healthcare, Merck to be affected
 "Govt caps prices of 52 more 'essential' drugs")
The government has capped the prices of 52 more drugs, including painkillers and antibiotics, the pricing authority said in a notice.
The additional drugs join a list of nearly 400 essential medicines that have so far been placed under price control in India, where a majority of the people live on under $2 a day and health insurance is scarce.
The new drugs to come under price control include commonly-used antibiotics and painkillers as well as medicines used for treating cancer and skin disorders, a notice on the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) website said.
Companies including Lupin Ltd, Cadila Healthcare Ltd and Merck Ltd - the Indian arm of the US firm Merck & Co Inc - are among those selling drugs mentioned in the latest notice, the authority said.
Cadila and Lupin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Merck's India unit was not immediately reachable.