Price of 21 essential drugs went up in 2019, Details
"It was noted that the twenty-one scheduled formulations considered for upward price revision under para 19 of DPCO, 2013 are low priced drugs and have been under repeated price control," Gowda informed the Parliament.
New Delhi: The Minister in the Ministry of Chemical and Fertilizers recently informed the Parliament about the increase in prices of 21 essential drugs by the apex price regulator, National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA), as many pharmaceutical companies applied for discontinuation of the product citing various reasons resulting in unavailability in sustainable production and marketing of the drugs.
This came while responding to a query raised by Bhagwanth Khuba during a Lok Sabha session. The member asked if the Government is aware that NPPA has hiked the ceiling price of 12 essential first-line treatment drugs and whether the move is crucial in the public health programme. He further sought if any serious steps have been taken by the Government in this regard.
Responding to the question, Minister DV Sadananda Gowda stated that NPPA has received applications for upward price revision under para 19 of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) citing various reasons like increase in Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) cost, increase in cost of production, exchange rates etc. resulting in unavailability in sustainable production and marketing of the drugs.
Based on the recommendation of Standing Committee on Affordable Medicines and Health Products (SCAMHP), the ceiling price of shortlisted 21 scheduled formulations of 12 medicines were revised by allowing one-time price increase of up to 50% from the present ceiling price in public interest as an exceptional measure by invoking para 19 of DPCO, 2013.
The details of the list read;
| Sl. No . | Name of the Scheduled Formulation | Dosage form & Strength | Unit | Revised Ceiling Price (Rs.) |
| (1) | (2) | (3) | (4) | (5) |
| 1. | BCG vaccine |
| Each Dose | 8.75 |
| 2. | Benzathine benzylpenicillin | Powder for Injection 12 lac units | Each Pack | 17.84 |
| 3. | Benzathine benzylpenicillin | Powder for Injection 6 lac units | Each Pack | 11.81 |
| 4. | Benzylpenicillin | Powder for Injection 10 Lac Units | Each Pack | 7.64 |
| 5. | Chloroquine | Tablet 150mg | 1 Tablet | 1.16 |
| 6. | Dapsone | Tablet 100 mg | 1 Tablet | 0.35 |
| 7. | Furosemide | Tablet 40 mg | 1 Tablet | 0.74 |
| 8. | Furosemide | Injection 10mg/ml | 1 ml | 2.43 |
| 9. | Metronidazole | Oral Liquid 200 mg/5ml | 1 ml | 0.44 |
| 10. | Metronidazole | Tablet 200 mg | 1 Tablet | 0.68 |
| 11. | Metronidazole | Tablet 400 mg | 1 Tablet | 1.25 |
| 12. | Metronidazole | Injection 500mg/100ml | 1 ml | 0.20 |
| 13. | Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) | Tablet 500 mg | 1 Tablet | 1.34 |
| 14. | Co-trimoxazole (Sulphamethoxazole (A)+Trimethoprim (B)] | Tablet 400 mg(A)+80 mg(B) | 1 Tablet | 0.77 |
| 15. | Co-trimoxazole (Sulphamethoxazole (A)+Trimethoprim (B)] | Tablet 800 mg(A)+160 mg(B) | 1 Tablet | 1.98 |
| 16. | Co-trimoxazole (Sulphamethoxazole (A)+Trimethoprim (B)] | Oral Liquid 200mg(A)+40mg(B)/5 ml | 1 ml | 0.32 |
| 17. | Pheniramine | Injection 22.75 mg/ml(10ml pack) | 1 ml | 1.67 |
| 18. | Pheniramine | Injection 22.75 mg/ml (2ml pack) | 1 ml | 2.24 |
| 19. | Prednisolone | Drops 1% | 1 ml | 4.92 |
| 20. | Clofazimine | Capsule 50 mg | 1 Capsule | 2.13 |
| 21. | Clofazimine | Capsule 100 mg | 1 Capsule | 3.63 |
"It was noted that the twenty-one scheduled formulations considered for upward price revision under para 19 of DPCO, 2013 are low priced drugs and have been under repeated price control," Gowda informed the Parliament.
Most of these drugs are used as the first line of treatment and are crucial to the public health program of the country. Many companies have applied for discontinuation of the product on account of unavailability, he added in his reply.
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