A recent government notification has set the retail prices for essential fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, including a tablet combining atorvastatin and ezetimibe, used to manage high cholesterol by lowering “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels. FDCs are medications that combine two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in a single formulation, typically produced and distributed in a fixed ratio.
The list of fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs also includes combinations such as dispersible amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate, used to treat bacterial infections like sinusitis, and gliclazide with metformin hydrochloride, which is prescribed for Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, the list features dietary supplements like oral cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) tablets and antifungal itraconazole capsules.
The government notification stated that manufacturers of scheduled formulations selling branded, generic, or both versions at prices higher than the specified ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Services Tax) must lower the prices of these formulations to comply with the ceiling price.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has set retail prices for 65 new drug formulations and announced ceiling prices for 13 others. Additionally, the regulatory body, functioning under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, has revised the ceiling prices of seven drugs to reflect a 0.00551% increase in prices within the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), driven by adjustments in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for 2024.
The NPPA’s decision to revise drug prices was made at its 128th meeting on December 12. New prices were set for medications used to treat Type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, bacterial infections, and pain relief, while the ceiling prices for vaccines, including those for rabies, tetanus, and measles, were also updated, according to several notifications from the regulatory body.
The revision and determination of retail and ceiling prices is a standard procedure carried out by the NPPA. As the drug pricing regulator, the authority is tasked with setting and updating prices for pharmaceutical products, enforcing the Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), and overseeing the pricing of both controlled and decontrolled medications.
A recent government notification has set the retail prices for essential fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, including a tablet combining atorvastatin and ezetimibe, used to manage high cholesterol by lowering “bad” cholesterol (LDL) and triglyceride levels. FDCs are medications that combine two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) in a single formulation, typically produced and distributed in a fixed ratio.
The list of fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs also includes combinations such as dispersible amoxycillin and potassium clavulanate, used to treat bacterial infections like sinusitis, and gliclazide with metformin hydrochloride, which is prescribed for Type 2 diabetes. Additionally, the list features dietary supplements like oral cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) tablets and antifungal itraconazole capsules.
The government notification stated that manufacturers of scheduled formulations selling branded, generic, or both versions at prices higher than the specified ceiling price (plus applicable Goods and Services Tax) must lower the prices of these formulations to comply with the ceiling price.
