NPPA brings 36 more drugs under price control

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in its latest move has brought 36 more scheduled drugs under controlled pricing. This now takes the number of drugs brought under price control up to 716.

The list includes antibiotics likerifampicin, which is prescribed to TB and leprosy patients. While TB drugs are available free of cost under the government-run RNTCP programme, a majority of the patients go to the private sector. This move is likely to bring the cost down for this segment of patients.  

The list also includes HIV drugs like stavudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine, the combination of which is now priced at Rs 4.68 per tablet. “HIV drugs are available for cheaper rates with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) for those going to the public sector but there are patients who want to keep their status private and hesitate to walk in the centres where they can be seen. This move will benefit them the most,” said Paul Lhungdim, President, The Delhi Network of Positive People.

“Out of a list of about 828 scheduled medicines, priority has been being given to ‘volume of consumption’ of these drugs along with the therapeutic group-wise priority to medicines for life-threatening diseases,” said Bhupendra Singh, President, NPPA.

However, there are certain anomalies in the list. While the new list caps the price of cancer drug imatinib at Rs 75.15 for every 100 mg, the 400 mg tablet of the same drug is already available in the market for Rs 223.98. This makes the new price more expensive than the existing one.