NPPA fixes retail price of 28 drugs, ceiling price of six formulations

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has revised retail prices of 28 formulations and capped ceiling prices for six drugs under the National List of Essential Medicines

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced the fixing of retail prices for 28 drug formulations and ceiling prices for six scheduled formulations under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

 

What decisions were made in the NPPA’s latest meeting?

 

The decision to revise prices was taken during the NPPA’s 138th meeting. The authority fixed prices for drugs used to treat diabetes, hypertension, bacterial infections, and allergies, according to a notification issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals and the NPPA.

 

Among the 28 medicines with revised retail prices, 19 are used for treating hypertension and diabetes.

 

 

Which drugs are affected by the new price changes?

 

Diabetes medicines containing a fixed-dose combination (FDC) of empagliflozin, linagliptin, and metformin hydrochloride have been priced at Rs 29.21 per tablet. Several empagliflozin-based generics have come under price regulation since the expiry of its patent earlier this year.

 

Similarly, the retail price of combination tablets of telmisartan and amlodipine for hypertension has been fixed at Rs 7.14 per tablet, while that of telmisartan and chlorthalidone is set at Rs 8.93 per tablet.

 

The retail price for combination tablets of mefenamic acid and paracetamol, used as painkillers, has been fixed at Rs 2.68 per tablet.

 

Which formulations have ceiling prices been capped?

 

The six scheduled formulations whose ceiling prices have been capped include riboflavin 10 mg tablets at Rs 1.11 per tablet, denatured ethyl alcohol (70 per cent solution), and several types of human normal immunoglobulin.

 

Why does NPPA revise drug prices periodically?

 

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

 

The latest revision follows NPPA’s announcement in March this year of a 0.00551 per cent increase in the prices of drugs included in the NLEM, based on changes in the wholesale price index (WPI).