NPPA Revised prices for Medicines

Prices of 62 drugs, mainly used for treating diabetes and tuberculosis, have been raised while the rates of 14 other medicines have been reduced  ,  prices of 21 drugs have remained unchanged after a fresh review of the pricing of key medicines by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The NPPA, which considered rates for 19 drugs for the first time, reviewed prices of drugs used in treatment of diabetes, allergy, malaria, diarrhoea, asthma and hypertension along with antiseptics.

The NPPA also revised prices of four bulk drugs, following which diuretic spironolactone and salbutamol sulphate will be cheaper by 2.5 per cent and 18.87 per cent respectively.

According to it, bulk drug pyrantel pamoate (used in formulations of deworming medicines) and anti-allergic pheniramine maleate will be costlier by 8.12 per cent and 13.87 per cent respectively.

The reduction in prices of formulation drugs has been in the range of 2.47 per cent to 35.04 per cent from the prices claimed by the respective companies.

The price revision included more than 25 anti-TB drugs for which there was no significant increase while sulphadoxine plus pyrimethamine tablets will cost more due to upward revision in the import price of bulk drugs used for malaria.