NPPA fixes prices of 43 more formulation packs as per new DPCO

New Delhi, 25 Sept 2013: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), continuing its exercise of revising the prices of essential medicines under the new Drug Price Control Order, 2013, has fixed the prices of 43 more formulation packs. The formulations are based on the bulk drugs of allopurinol, dexchlorpheniramine maleate, promethazine, phenobarbitone, piperazine, dapsone, ethambutol, isoniazid, acyclovir, didanosine, stavudine, diltiazem, nifedipine beclomethasone dipropionate, hydrocortisone sodium succinate, ipratropium bromide, fluconazole, sevoflurane, bupivacaine hydrochloride, lignocaine hydrochloride, adrenaline, morphine sulphate, heparin, sodium, calamine lotion, glutaraldehyde, sulphacetamide sodium, pilocarpine, ringer lactate, sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate, calcium gluconate, diclofenac and cefixime trihydrate+ofloxacin. So far, the NPPA had earlier revised the prices of over 300 formulations in five batches, after the new DPCO was notified based on the new pharmaceutical pricing policy. The new prices will be made into effect after the stipulated window period of 45 days. According to the new pricing policy, the ceiling of prices is fixed based on the simple average of the prices of all brands of that drug that have a market share of at least one per cent. The national list of essential medicines lists 348 bulk drugs, which are sold as 650 formulations. “All the existing manufacturers of above mentioned scheduled formulations having MRP lower than the ceiling price specified in column (5) in the above table plus local taxes as applicable, if any, shall continue to maintain the existing MRP in accordance with paragraph 13 (2) of the DPCO, 2013,” the notification said. The regulator also withdrew an earlier notification. “In exercise of the powers, conferred by paragraph 4, 11 and 14 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, read with S.O. No. 1394(E) dated the 30th May, 2013 issued by the Government of India in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (hereinafter referred as NPPA) hereby withdraw the Gazette Notification S.O. No. 2534(E) dated 21st August, 2013, relating to cefixime trihydrate+ ofloxacin tablets, with immediate effect,” it said.

Pharmabiz