NPPA sets price cap for 127 medicines, prices to fall

22 Dec 2022 , 07:22 AM

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on Tuesday set price caps for 127 medicines, making some drugs more affordable for a fifth time this year.

The cost of a number of medicines, including paracetamol, has decreased for the second time this year. But some medicines, including metformin and montelukast, have become more expensive.

The NPPA’s list of 127 drugs includes paracetamol, Amoxycillin, rabeprazole, and metformin. Many of these are frequently used by patients. Paracetamol (650 mg), which usually costs Rs2.3 a pill, is now only available for Rs1.8.

The NPPA decreased the cost of paracetamol combination formulation earlier this year. Amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate tablets’ cost also decreased from Rs22.3 to Rs16.8 per tablet.

Additionally, the cost of moxifloxacin (400mg) has been significantly reduced, going from Rs31.5 per tablet to Rs22.8 per tablet. This year saw the first decrease in price for the drug, which is used to treat bacterial infections including pneumonia.

The price of several prescriptions, such as metformin (500mg), was up from Rs1.7 to Rs1.8 as a result of the revised list. For the combination formulation of metformin, which is used to treat Type II diabetes, there have been a number of price modifications in the previous year.

Sajal Ganguly, secretary of the Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association (BCDA), asserts that by the end of January, medications with the new price tag would begin to arrive.