New Delhi: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed and notified the retail price of 37 new drugs in its recent meeting, under the provisions of the Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO), 2013, including hypertensive medicines, anti-diabetic medicines, among others.
Various formulations and strengths of drugs for which prices has been fixed during the latest meeting include ready to use infusion bags gemcitabine hydrochloride injection 10mg/ml (1200mg/ 120ml) marketed by Sun Pharma Laboratories, combination of empagliflozin, sitagliptin, and metformin hydrochloride extended release tablets from Abbott Healthcare, combination of empagliflozin, linagliptin, and metformin hydrochloride (ER) tablets from MSN Laboratories, and cetirizine ophthalmic solution 0.24% w/v from Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Mankind Pharma.
Other formulations for which retail prices were notified include combination of telmisartan, cilnidipine and chlorthalidone tablets marketed by Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, combination of paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride, caffeine and diphenhydramine hydrochloride tablets Abbott Healthcare, myo-Inositol and metformin hydrochloride (SR) tablets from Sun Pharma Laboratories, Macleods Pharma, and Zydus Healthcare, among others.
Earlier, in a meeting in December, the drug price regulator has fixed the retail price of 37 new drugs from various drug majors including Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Cipla Ltd, Torrent Pharma, Mankind Pharma, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals, among others.
These are new drugs, under paragraph 2(1)(u) of the Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO), 2013.
Under the Paragraph 2(1)(u) of the DPCO, 2013, a new drug is defined as a formulation launched by an existing manufacturer of a drug of specified dosages and strengths as listed in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) by combining the drug with another drug either listed or not listed in the NLEM or a formulation launched by changing the strength or dosages or both of the same drug of specified dosages and strengths as listed in the NLEM.
The methodology of calculating and fixing the retail price of new drugs for existing manufacturers of scheduled formulations are specified in the Para 5 and 15 of the DPCO, 2013, which is followed by the NPPA to arrive at the price against the applications submitted by the companies.
In case the retail price of any of these formulations are not complied with, as per the price notifications and notes released by the authority, then the concerned manufacturer/marketing company shall be liable to deposit the overcharged amount along with the interest thereon under the provisions of the DPCO, 2013 read with the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, added the price regulator.
