Diabetes to infections: NPPA slashes retail prices of 41 essential drugs

Prices of essential drugs such as dapagliflozin metformin hydrochloride, used for lowering blood glucose levels by decreasing glucose production in the liver, have been fixed at Rs 16 per tablet

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced a lowering of retail prices for 41 essential drugs and revised ceiling rates of seven scheduled formulations.

The decision to revise the prices of essential drug formulations was taken during the 143rd meeting of the NPPA, a regulatory body that sets pharmaceutical prices, on May 10.

Prices have been slashed for drugs and formulations meant for diabetes, body pain, liver issues, antacids, infections and allergies, according to multiple notifications from the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the NPPA.

The revision of ceiling prices is a routine exercise undertaken by the NPPA. The drug pricing regulator is vested with the responsibility of fixing and revising the prices of pharmaceutical products, enforcing provisions of the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), and monitoring the prices of both controlled and decontrolled drugs.

Prices of essential drugs such as dapagliflozin metformin hydrochloride, used for lowering blood glucose levels by decreasing glucose level in the liver, have been fixed at Rs 16 per tablet, against the current per tablet rate of Rs 30. Antacid antigas gel will now be priced at Rs 0.56 per one millilitre (ml) from Rs 2.57 per ml, and the price of combination capsules of atorvastatin, clopidogrel and aspirin has been fixed at Rs 13.84 per capsule against the current Rs 30.

Similarly, combinations such as budesonide and formoterol, used to help control symptoms of asthma and improve lung function, will now be priced at Rs 6.62 per dose.

The revision in ceiling and retail prices comes after the NPPA in March this year, announced a 0.00551 per cent increase in prices of drugs included in the National List of Essential Drugs (NLEM), on the basis of changes in the wholesale price index (WPI).