Govt fixes ceiling price of 54 formulations, including cancer drugs

The government has revised downward the prices of 54 drugs, some of them by up to 55 per cent, in a move to make treatment of some common diseases, including cancer and blood pressure, affordable to more people.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on Wednesday announced a reduction in the selling prices of 54 drugs, including those used for the treatment of brain and breast cancer, heart diseases, blood pressure, hypertension and diabetes as also prices of some antibiotics.

"National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed/revised ceiling prices of 54 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I under Drugs (Price Control) Amendment Order, 2016 and Retail Price of 11 formulations under DPCO, 2013," the regulator said in a statement

The new prices will be effective immediately, the release added.

This is the second time in 15 days the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has slashed prices for 54 drugs. On 28 April too, the drug price regulator had cut prices of 54 other medicines.

There are 875 drugs on the regulator's National List of Essential Medicines, 2015, after it was revised in December last year. So far, it has capped the prices of 280 drugs on the list.

NPPA has directed drug manufacturers to issue revised price list of formulations immediately - the sale of drugs to the consumer has to be at the price specified by the government or lower if so indicated on the label, the NPPA said.

Manufacturers have been asked to issue revised price list or supplementary price list, if required, to dealers, retailers, state drug controllers and the government in compliance with the prices fixed or revised by NPPA.

Manufacturers recalling drugs to comply with the order have been directed to keep enough stocks to ensure availability of these drugs while at the same time complying with the price order.

Set up in 1997, NPPA has been entrusted with the task of fixation/revision of prices of pharma products, enforcement of provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order and monitoring of prices of controlled and decontrolled drugs.