Reportedly, the regulator has asked all the drug manufacturers to revise their prices according to the ceiling price.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has released the ceiling prices of 53 drugs including those that are prescribed for the treatment of anxiety and type 2 diabetes. In two notifications dated 28 June, the pricing authority announced two lists one containing 51 drugs and another including 2 drugs.
According to the list, the ceiling price of Dabigatran capsule 110 mg is Rs. 31.81 per capsule. Meanwhile, Dabigatran capsule 150 mg is Rs. 35.59 per capsule. Dabigatran is an anticoagulant prescribed to treat and prevent blood clots and to prevent stroke in people with atrial fibrillation.
According to the list, the retail price of vildagliptin and metformin hydrochloride has been fixed at Rs 13.68 per tablet. Both these drugs are prescribed to control blood sugar in people with type 2 diabetes. The price of another drug for the same purpose, made with a combination of sitagliptin, pioglitazone and metformin hydrochloride, has been fixed at Rs 17.69.
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Similarly, the price of dapagliflozin+metformin+vildagliptin, used in treating type 2 diabetes, has been fixed at Rs 19.11 per tablet. For depression and anxiety, the price of paroxetine (controlled release) and clonazepam capsules has been fixed at Rs 15.81, the list revealed.
Meanwhile, the price of etoricoxib and paracetamol tablets, used for pain and fever management, has been set at Rs 8.99 per tablet. The price of Zinc Sulfate+Monohydrate+Sodium Citrate+Potassium Chloride+Sodium Chloride+Dextrose+Anhydrous Sachet used to restore body fluids and electrolytic loss due to dehydration by diarrhoea, vomiting, heat exhaustion and electrolyte imbalance is Rs. 6.12 per Sachet of 4.4 gm.
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Reportedly, the regulator has asked all the drug manufacturers to revise their prices according to the ceiling price. According to media reports, if the drugmakers are found flouting the order, they may have to deposit the overcharged amount with the Centre.
Recently, Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) released a report that revealed that the number of diabetes patients in India had jumped 44 per cent in the last four years. Currently, India has over 100 million diabetes patients.
