The prices of around 103 drug formulation packs, including those used for treating HIV/AIDS, bacterial infections, tuberculosis, high blood pressure, epilepsy, Hepatitis C and diabetes has been reduced as price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)  capped their ceiling price.  The new prices are expected to come into effect from tomorrow, said NPPA in their notification on their website.

“NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 103 scheduled formulations on the basis of wholesale price index (WPI) for the preceding calendar year 2015, effective from April, 1 2016,” the regulator said.

With this positive move from NPPA some of the key Drugs such as Tenofovir, Lamivudine, Raltegravir used for treatment of HIV/AIDS and Sofosbuvir, which is used in the treatment  against Hepatitis C will become cheaper.

Similarly, the ceiling price of a Raltegravir 400 mg is now fixed at Rs. 139.25 down from Rs. 143.13 earlier. The price of Hepatitis B drug Sofosbuvir 400 mg has been fixed at Rs. 619.31 down from Rs. 636.56 previously. Cardiovascular disease drug Atorvastatin—40 mg will now be available at Rs. 17.91 per tablet as against Rs. 18.41 earlier.

Also, the retail price of two formulations —Hyoscine Butylbromide + Paracetamol Tablet and Methyldopa Tablet, has been fixed by NPPA under DPCO, 2013.

Currently, the government caps prices of essential drugs based on the simple average of all medicines in a particular therapeutic segment with sales of more than one per cent. As the government regulates the prices of all other medicines and companies are allowed to hike prices of such drugs by only up to 10 per cent in a year.

The government had notified DPCO, 2013, which covers 680 formulations, with effect from May 15, 2014, replacing the 1995 order that regulated prices of only 74 bulk drugs.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)   which was set up in 1997, has been entrusted with the task of fixing and revising the prices of pharmacy products, enforcement of provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order and monitoring of prices of controlled and decontrolled drugs.

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