NPPA caps prices of 52 drugs including painkillers, antibiotics
13 Dec 2014 11:18 PM GMT
Following the latest move, more than 450 drug formulation packs are now under the price control mechanism of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which entails the regulator fixing ceiling and retail prices for such medicines.
“The NPPA has fixed/revised the prices in respect of 52 formulation packs both ceiling and retail price (new drug) packs under DPCO, 2013,” the order issued by apex drug pricing regulator said.
According to industry experts, the major drugmakers likely to be impacted by the latest price control decision include Lupin, Cadila and Merck.
The new drugs that have come under price control include commonly-used antibiotics and painkillers as well as medicines used for treating cancer and skin disorders. The bulk drug formulations that have been added to the controlled list include those containing Paracetamol, Glucose, Amoxycilline, Diazepam, Codeine Phosphate, Ciprofloxacin, Losartan and Diclofenac.
Earlier in September, NPPA had capped the prices of 43 formulation packs including drugs such as antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, BCG vaccine and anti-diabetic Metformin. In July also, NPPA had reduced the prices of some of the key medicines and had fixed the price of 108 non-scheduled formulation packs of 50 anti-diabetes and cardiac medicines.
The NPPA had hit the headlines in September after its powers to control the drug prices were
withdrawn by the NDA government. Millennium Post was the first to report about the fiasco.
Following the report of NPPA’s power seizure published in this paper, the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, which is headed by Ananth Kumar, had affirmed that the guidelines regarding fixing the powers of drug regulators was issued after careful consideration in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice that had decided to convey to the Bombay and Delhi High Court that the guidelines dated May 29 are to be withdrawn.
“The NPPA has fixed/revised the prices in respect of 52 formulation packs both ceiling and retail price (new drug) packs under DPCO, 2013,” the order issued by apex drug pricing regulator said.
According to industry experts, the major drugmakers likely to be impacted by the latest price control decision include Lupin, Cadila and Merck.
The new drugs that have come under price control include commonly-used antibiotics and painkillers as well as medicines used for treating cancer and skin disorders. The bulk drug formulations that have been added to the controlled list include those containing Paracetamol, Glucose, Amoxycilline, Diazepam, Codeine Phosphate, Ciprofloxacin, Losartan and Diclofenac.
Earlier in September, NPPA had capped the prices of 43 formulation packs including drugs such as antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, BCG vaccine and anti-diabetic Metformin. In July also, NPPA had reduced the prices of some of the key medicines and had fixed the price of 108 non-scheduled formulation packs of 50 anti-diabetes and cardiac medicines.
The NPPA had hit the headlines in September after its powers to control the drug prices were
withdrawn by the NDA government. Millennium Post was the first to report about the fiasco.
Following the report of NPPA’s power seizure published in this paper, the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, which is headed by Ananth Kumar, had affirmed that the guidelines regarding fixing the powers of drug regulators was issued after careful consideration in consultation with the Ministry of Law and Justice that had decided to convey to the Bombay and Delhi High Court that the guidelines dated May 29 are to be withdrawn.
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