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The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has published draft ceiling price of nine scheduled formulations under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), 2022, including an antiretroviral drug, anti-inflammatory drug, antibiotic to treat tuberculosis, surface-active agent, among others.
The price of antiretroviral drug Efavirenz 60 mg has been fixed at Rs 56.66 per capsule, with 28.68 per cent reduction from the current ceiling price. The current ceiling price, as fixed on March 27, 2025 by including the increase in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the year 2024, was at Rs 79.45 per capsule.
NPPA at the end of last fiscal year announced that based on the WPI data provided by the office of the Economic Advisor, Department of Industry and Internal Trade the annual change in WPI works out as (+) 1.74028% during the calendar year 2024 over the corresponding period in 2023.
Price of Hetero Healthcare's Estiva 600 mg capsule was considered for the price fixation and Rs 2.36 was reduced while fixing the price as peer monopoly conditions.
Ceiling price of antibiotic Rifampicin 300 mg, used for the treatment of tuberculosis and leprosy, among others, has been reduced by 0.44 per cent to Rs 3.70 per tablet. The current ceiling price for the drug including the WPI increase is Rs 3.72 per tablet, according to the NPPA's calculation sheet.
The drug price regulator has revised or fixed the ceiling price of three formulations of 5-Amino Salicylic acid (Mesalazine / Mesalamine), used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
Price for 5-Amino Salicylic acid (Mesalazine / Mesalamine) suppository 500 mg has been fixed at Rs 16.09 per suppository, with 24.90 per cent reduction from the current ceiling price. The ceiling price was increased from Rs 21.05 per suppository fixed in 2023, to Rs 21.42 per suppository on March 27, 2025. The particular formulation is manufactured by Sun Pharma laboratories and the authority has also imposed a Rs 3.19 reduction as per the monopoly conditions, while fixing the latest ceiling price.
Ceiling price of 5-Amino Salicylic acid (Mesalazine / Mesalamine) Retention Enema (Foam) has been fixed at Rs 15.42 per gram. Considering the price of Cipla's formulation, the Authority has also imposed a Rs 3.05 reduction as per monopoly conditions for the formulation.
Ceiling price of 5-Amino Salicylic acid (Mesalazine/Mesalamine) Retention Enema (Liquid) has been fixed at Rs 1.74 per ml, after considering the price of the formulation from two companies with market share of one per cent and above.
Price of Betamethasone valerate gel 0.05 per cent, used for the treatment of skin diseases, has been revised 28.63 per cent down at Rs 0.48 per gram, while the current ceiling price is at Rs 0.67 per gram, fixed on March 27, 2025 with the WPI increase. The ceiling price fixed prior to that was Rs 0.66 per gram.
Price of only one product from Micro Labs has been considered for fixing the price, based on the market share regulation, and Rs 0.02 has been reduced as per monopoly condition while arriving at the revised price.
Ceiling price of Betamethasone valerate lotion 0.05 has been fixed at Rs 0.67 per ML, with a 0.23 per cent reduction from the current ceiling price. The ceiling price was increased to Rs 0.67 per gram
According to the draft calculation sheet, the price of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) Ibuprofen 400 mg capsule has been reduced by 0.22 per cent to Rs 1.33 per capsule. The current ceiling price of the medicine was Rs 1.33 per capsule, including the WPI increase of 1.74 per cent, while the ceiling price was at Rs 1.31 per gram fixed on March 31, 2023.
The NPPA has also revised the ceiling price of Surfactant in the form of suspension for intratracheal instillation, at 80.37 per MG of phospholipids in the pack, with a reduction of 5.14 per cent from the current ceiling price. The current ceiling price is Rs 84.72 per MG of phospholipids in the pack, fixed on March 27, 2025, an increase from Rs 83.27 per MG of phospholipids in the pack as per the notification issued on March 31, 2023.
The draft ceiling prices of these nine scheduled formulations were published on April 9, in the Authority's website. As per the provisions, the Authority is expected to consider the representations from the concerned stakeholders on the draft calculation, received within 10 days from the date of publication of the draft sheet.
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