NEW DELHI: In a significant move to make essential medicines more affordable, the Central government has fixed the retail prices of 71 critical drug formulations, including treatments for metastatic breast cancer, diabetes, allergies, and severe infections.
The price control notification, issued by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), also clarifies that manufacturers may add the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to the retail price only if it is paid or payable to the government.
Among the formulations whose prices have been regulated is Trastuzumab, a widely used drug in the treatment of metastatic breast and gastric cancers. Manufactured by Reliance Life Sciences, the NPPA has capped its price at ₹11,966 per vial.
Another regulated product includes a combination drug containing clarithromycin, esomeprazole, and amoxicillin, used in the treatment of peptic ulcer disease. Manufactured by Torrent Pharmaceuticals, this formulation will now retail at ₹162.50 per tablet.
The price of a combipack of ceftriaxone, disodium edetate, and sulbactam—used for life-threatening infections—has been fixed at ₹626 per vial. A similar combination from Tyykem, also intended for infections, has been priced at ₹515.50 per vial, according to the NPPA order.
The notification further lists 25 anti-diabetic drug formulations that contain sitagliptin, along with several others that include empagliflozin combinations, as part of the revised price framework.
The NPPA, functioning under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, is the apex regulatory authority responsible for fixing and monitoring the prices of medicines and ensuring the availability of essential drugs at affordable rates.
In a related development, the NPPA reiterated its February directive requiring drug manufacturers to distribute updated price lists to retailers, state drug controllers, and other stakeholders. These lists must reference the official price revision orders or government gazette notifications.
An official explained the rationale: “The directive ensures transparency and allows consumers to verify whether pharmacies are adhering to NPPA’s pricing.”
According to the February order, retailers and dealers are required to clearly display the official price list—including any supplementary updates—at a prominent location on their premises, ensuring public accessibility. This requirement extends to online and virtual platforms as well.
