The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) approved a fifty percent increase in the ceiling prices of eleven key scheduled formulations from eight essential drugs.
The decision is aimed at ensuring the continued availability of these medicines in response to rising production costs. Exercising special powers under Para 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, the NPPA seeks to keep essential medicines affordable while alleviating the financial pressures on drug manufacturers.
The price hike reflects increasing costs of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), production expenses, and exchange rate fluctuations, which have led some manufacturers to request price adjustments or consider discontinuing certain products.
The affected drugs are vital in the treatment of various health conditions, including asthma, glaucoma, thalassemia, tuberculosis, and mental health disorders.
The revised prices aim to prevent potential shortages or withdrawals from the market, ensuring these medications remain available for public health programs, which is critical for maintaining effective healthcare services across the country.
The drugs impacted include benzyl penicillin, atropine injections, streptomycin powder, salbutamol formulations, pilocarpine eye drops, cefadroxil tablets, desferrioxamine injections, and lithium tablets.
As reported by devdiscourse.com, similar price adjustments were made by the NPPA in 2019 and 2021, highlighting ongoing efforts to strike a balance between drug affordability and accessibility within India’s healthcare system.
