The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has declared a price hike of up to 1.74% for more than 900 essential Drugs & medicines, effective from April 1. This list comprises drugs used for treating severe infections, heart conditions, and diabetes.
NPPA Announces Price Increase for Essential Drugs from April 1
“The government revises the ceiling prices of scheduled medicines annually based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) (all commodities), as per the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013). For the financial year 2024-25, the authorities increased the ceiling prices of scheduled medicines by 0.00551 per cent, effective from April 1, 2024, based on the annual change in WPI (all commodities).” NPPA also fixes the retail price of new drugs, as defined in paragraph 2(1)(u) of DPCO, 2013,” said Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel in Lok Sabha in a written reply.
The regulator also said in a statement that “the annual change in WPI works out as (+) 1.74028 per cent during the calendar year 2024 over the corresponding period in 2023.”
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What gets costlier?
According to a Financial Express report, the ceiling price of 250mg and 500mg of antibiotic azithromycin will be ₹11.87 and ₹23.98 per tablet, respectively.
The authorities have fixed the price of dry syrups with amoxicillin and clavulanic acid at ₹2.09 per ml.
Diclofenac (Painkiller): Maximum price set at ₹2.09 per tablet.
Ibuprofen (Painkiller):
– 200 mg: ₹0.72 per tablet.
– 400 mg: ₹1.22 per tablet.
• Diabetes medication (Dapagliflozin + Metformin Hydrochloride + Glimepiride): Around ₹12.74 per tablet.
• Acyclovir (Antiviral):
– 200 mg: ₹7.74 per tablet.
– 400 mg: ₹13.90 per tablet.
• Hydroxychloroquine (Antimalarial):
– 200 mg: ₹6.47 per tablet.
– 400 mg: ₹14.04 per tablet.
Drug manufacturers may increase the maximum retail prices of these formulations based on this WPI, and no prior approval of the Centre is necessary.
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