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The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has approved an increase in the ceiling prices of eleven scheduled formulations of eight drugs by 50% of their current ceiling prices.

Most of these drugs are low-cost and generally used as first line treatment crucial to the public health programmes of the country. These drugs are used for treatment of asthma, glaucoma, thalassemia, tuberculosis, mental health disorders, etc.

Elaborating on the need to bring in the increase in price, the authority said that this was done to ensure availability of essential drugs at affordable prices and ensuring affordability without jeopardising access to such medicines.

“The essential drugs must remain available to address the public health needs of the country, and their price regulation should not lead to a situation where these drugs become unavailable in the market,’’ it added.

NPPA explained that it has been receiving applications from the manufacturers for upward revision of prices citing various reasons like increased cost of active pharmaceutical ingredients, increase in the cost of production, change in exchange rate etc., resulting in unviability in sustainable production and marketing of drugs.

“Companies have also applied for discontinuation of some of the formulations on account of their unviability,’’ noted the authority.

In its recent release, the Health Ministry said that after detailed deliberations in the authority meeting held on October 8, invoking extraordinary powers under Paragraph 19 of the DPCO, 2013, and in larger public interest, the move was initiated.

Formulations for which ceiling prices have been revised include – Atropine injection 06.mg/ml; Streptomycin powder for injection 750 mg and 1000 mg; Salbutamol tablet 2 mg and 4 mg and respirator solution 5 mg/ml; Pilocarpine 2% drops; Cefadroxil tablet 500 mg, Desferrioxamine 500 mg for injection; and Lithium tablets 300 mg.

Earlier such extraordinary powers have been invoked by NPPA in 2019 and in 2021 whereby price of 21 and 9 formulations, respectively, were increased by 50% so as to ensure continued availability of essential drugs for the public.