NPPA the national drug pricing regulator on Friday announced that it has allowed a one-time increase of 50 percent in the ceiling prices of nine scheduled formulations of three drugs- carbamazepine, ranitidine, and ibuprofen – to ensure their availability.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said in its order that these drugs are used as the first line of treatment and are important to the public health programme of the country.
In a meeting NPPA held on June 28, considered upon the case of upward price revision of the formulations of these drugs under Para 19 of DPCO 2013. It noted that the scheduled formulations being considered for upward price revision are low-priced drugs and have been under repeated price controls. DPCO 2013 is the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
Ibuprofen is a drug that is used to release pain from various conditions like headache, dental pain, menstrual cramps, muscle aches, or arthritis.
While carbamazepine is an anti-epileptic drug, ranitidine is used for the treatment of ulcers of the stomach and intestines and to prevent intestinal ulcers from coming back after they have healed.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said it is of the considered view that unaviability of these formulations should not lead to a situation, where these drugs become unavailable in the market and the public is forced to switch to costly alternatives.
Accordingly, “NPPA invokes extraordinary powers in the public interest under Para 19 of DPCO 2013 for upward revision of the ceiling prices of the nine scheduled formulations of 3 drugs by giving one time increase of 50 percent from the present ceiling price,” it added.
To address the situation arising due to repeated price control, NPPA said, a one-time price increase of 50 per cent from the current ceiling price is being considered in the public interest as an exceptional measure as advised by the Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products (SCAMHP).
As an independent regulator, the regulator was constituted for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices
The regulator was constituted as an independent regulator for the pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices. Ceiling price is providing by NPPA to all drugs notified under Schedule-1 of the DPCO 2013, and monitors annual price increase for these and the non-scheduled drugs.