Prices of about 900 essential drugs increased

Kolkata: According to a recent directive of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), the country’s drug pricing regulator, the prices of nearly 900 essential medicines, including painkillers and antibiotics, increased by around 0.65 per cent from Wednesday.

The NPPA released a memorandum announcing that manufacturers may increase the MRP of scheduled formulations included in the National List of Essential Medicines without requiring prior government approval.

“Based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) data provided by the office of the Economic Advisor, Department of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the annual change in WPI works out as (+)0.64956% during the calendar year 2025 over the corresponding period in 2024,” read the memorandum.