Govt Caps Prices of 35 Essential Drugs to Boost Affordability Across India

In a major move aimed at improving access to life-saving and chronic care medicines, the Government of India has fixed the retail prices of 35 essential drug formulations, bringing much-needed relief to patients battling high medication costs. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers announced the decision through a notification issued on Saturday, following recommendations from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA).

The pricing initiative, implemented under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, leverages provisions from paragraphs 5, 11, and 15, in conjunction with earlier government orders issued in 2013 and 2022. The move is expected to significantly improve the affordability of crucial drugs across therapeutic categories such as cardiovascular, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, and psychiatric care.

Wide Range of Formulations Under Price Control

The drugs covered in the price control list include fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) and monotherapies widely prescribed for common and chronic health issues. Some of the key drugs and their revised retail prices are:

Aceclofenac + Paracetamol + Trypsin Chymotrypsin tablet, used for pain and inflammation:

Dr Reddy’s version (manufactured by Akums Drugs): ₹13 per tablet

Cadila Pharmaceuticals version: ₹15.01 per tablet

Amoxycillin + Potassium Clavulanate oral suspension (Zydus Healthcare), an antibiotic used in pediatric infections: ₹3.32 per ml

Atorvastatin + Clopidogrel tablet, used for preventing heart attacks and strokes: ₹25.61 per tablet

Atorvastatin + Ezetimibe tablets, prescribed for high cholesterol:

Doses ranging from 10 mg to 40 mg (Pure and Cure Healthcare): ₹19.86 to ₹30.47

Atorvastatin + Clopidogrel + Aspirin capsule (Synoken Pharma): ₹5.88 per capsule

Bilastine + Montelukast tablet, used to treat allergic rhinitis: ₹22.78 per pill

Empagliflozin + Sitagliptin + Metformin Hydrochloride tablets (Exemed Pharmaceuticals), for diabetes management: ₹16.50 per tablet

Also included in the list are pediatric oral suspensions such as Cefixime + Paracetamol, Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D) drops, and injectable formulations like Diclofenac Injection, which has been capped at ₹31.77 per ml.

Regulatory Compliance and Penalties

The NPPA clarified that the revised prices are exclusive of Goods and Services Tax (GST), which may be levied as applicable. All manufacturers are mandated to update price lists using Form-V on the Integrated Pharmaceutical Database Management System (IPDMS) and furnish these updates to both NPPA and state drug controllers.

Retailers and wholesalers are required to prominently display the revised prices in their outlets in accordance with Paragraph 24 of the DPCO, 2013. Failure to comply could attract penalties, including recovery of overcharged amounts with interest under both the DPCO and the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

The order also invalidates any previous price-related notifications issued for these formulations and manufacturers, thereby bringing clarity and uniformity to the market.

A Step Toward Transparent, Affordable Healthcare

Officials have emphasized that this pricing intervention is a step toward creating a more transparent, equitable healthcare system by keeping essential medicines within the reach of the common citizen. With medication costs contributing significantly to out-of-pocket health expenditure in India, the new price control is poised to provide timely relief, particularly for those with long-term medical needs.

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