The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has taken an important step to provide relief to common patients from arbitrary prices of medicines. The authority has fixed the retail prices of 39 new medicines under the Drugs (Price Control) Order (DPCO) 2013. These include medicines used in the treatment of serious diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, HIV, eye infections and cancer. The purpose of this step is to make these medicines more affordable for patients.
**Order issued on July 8**
This price notification was issued by the Department of Pharmaceuticals on July 8, 2024 under paragraphs 5, 11 and 15 of DPCO 2013. It is worth noting that the purpose of this order is not to reduce the prices of medicines already present in the market, but to fix the maximum retail price for new drug formulations. Applicable GST will be charged separately on these prices.
**Retail prices fixed for some essential medicines**
In the list released by NPPA, the retail price of Amlodipine+Bisoprolol+Telmisartan tablets used in the treatment of high blood pressure has been fixed at ₹14.74 per tablet. The price of Nepafenac+Moxifloxacin Ophthalmic Solution, used after eye surgery and in the treatment of bacterial infections, has been fixed at ₹68.64 per ml. At the same time, the price of Clopidogrel + Aspirin + Atorvastatin capsules, given to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke, has been fixed at ₹ 6.37 per capsule. The list also includes fixed-dose combination medicines used to treat diabetes; These include drugs based on dapagliflozin, empagliflozin, sitagliptin, metformin, glimepiride and voglibose. Apart from this, the prices of drugs like Amoxicillin+Clavulanate Tablets and Dispersible Tablets (used in the treatment of infections), Eye Drops for Glaucoma, HIV Therapy Kit, Vitamin D3 Oral Solution and Imatinib Oral Solution (used in the treatment of cancer) have also been fixed. The NPPA list also includes one of the most expensive drugs, tenecteplase (TNK-tPA) injection 50mg; The retail price of this injection, used in the treatment of heart attack, has been fixed at ₹ 60,238.27 per vial.
**Retailers required to display price list**
NPPA has again said that it is mandatory for all retailers and dealers to clearly display the price lists issued by manufacturing companies in their shops. Citing paragraph 24(4) of the DPCO 2013, the authority said that every retailer and dealer must display the price list and any supplementary price list in a prominent place in the shop where the customers can easily see and access the information.
**The process of charging more than the fixed price**
It has also been made clear in the notification that if any manufacturer or marketing company does not adhere to the fixed retail price, then it will have to deposit the extra amount recovered with the government. According to NPPA, if the retail price of these medicines is not fixed as per this order and the notification accompanying it, then the concerned company will have to deposit the additional recovered amount along with interest under the provisions of DPCO 2013 and Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
