Cardiovascular, Hepatitis, Epilepsy drugs to get cheaper following NPPA order

NEW DELHI: As many as 103 drug formulation packs, including those used for treating HIV/AIDS, bacterial infections, tuberculosis, high blood pressure, epilepsy, hepatitis C and diabetes, will become cheaper with price regulator NPPA fixing their ceiling prices.

The new prices will be effective from Friday, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said in a notification on its website.

"NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 103 scheduled formulations on the basis of wholesale price index (WPI) for the preceding calendar year 2015, effective from April, 1 2016," the regulator said.

With the NPPA's move, some of the key drugs such as Tenofovir, Lamivudine, Raltegravir used for treatment of HIV/AIDS and Sofosbuvir, which is used against hepatitis C will become cheaper.

For instance, a tablet of combination drugs Tenofovir 300mg, Lamivudine 300mg and Efavirenz 600mg will now cost Rs 91.71 as against Rs 94.27 earlier.

Likewise, the ceiling price of a Raltegravir 400mg is now fixed at Rs 139.25 down from Rs 143.13 earlier. The price of Hepatitis B drug Sofosbuvir 400mg has been fixed at Rs 619.31 down from Rs 636.56 previously.

Cardiovascular disease drug Atorvastatin 40mg will now be available at Rs 17.91 per tablet as against Rs 18.41 earlier.

Besides, the NPPA has also fixed the retail price of two formulations — hyoscine butylbromide + paracetamol tablet and methyldopa tablet, under DPCO, 2013.

At present, the government caps prices of essential drugs based on the simple average of all medicines in a particular therapeutic segment with sales of more than one per cent.