Government fixes price ceiling for 9 drug formulations

Nov 21,2023

NEW DELHI: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the ceiling price of nine drug formulations. This includes Tacrolimus– an immunosuppressive drug used to reduce the risk of rejection of organ post-transplant and Co-trimoxazole that is used to treat bacterial infections that cause pneumonia and urinary tract infection among others.

The pricing authority has set the retail prices for the drug Tacrolimus (0.5 mg) at Rs 20.97. The price of Tacrolimus 1 mg and 2 mg has been fixed at Rs 39.98 and Rs 77.69 respectively.

In case the retail price of any of the above formulations is not complied with, as per instant price notification, then the concerned manufacturer or marketing company shall be liable to deposit the overcharged amount along with interest thereon under the provisions of the DPCO 2013, read with the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

According to the latest NPPA order, the ceiling price of Co-trimoxazole has been fixed at Rs 2.30 and the price of zinc sulphate tablets (20 mg) has been fixed at Rs 3.41.

The NPPA has also revised the ceiling price of painkiller drug Tramadol(50 mg) at Rs 9.70. The price of anti-cancer drug Temozolomide(20 mg) has been fixed at the rate of Rs 336.63.

“All the existing manufacturers of above-mentioned scheduled formulations having minimum retail price (MRP) lower than the ceiling price specified in column (5) in the above table plus goods and services tax as applicable, if any, shall continue to maintain the existing MRP in accordance with paragraph 13 (2) of the DPCO (Drug Price Control Orders), 2013,” the NPPA order states.

Recently, the NPPA also extended the ceiling price fixation for orthopaedic knee implants for one more year till September 15, 2024.

Officials have said that this has been made to ensure that the implants are affordable and accesible, also to stop fleecing of patients.

Source: Pharma