Pharma pricing authority caps price of 18 formulations packs

New Delhi: Pharma pricing authority NPPA has capped prices of 18 formulations packs, including anti- diabetic Metformin HCl tablets, anti-bacterial Ceftriaxone Sodium injection packs and devices among others.

The prices have also been fixed/revised for hormone releasing IUD, ondansetron HCl orally disintegrating strip, Metformin HCl tablets, Cefaclass injection pack among others.

The prices of the 18 formulation packs have been fixed/ revised under Drug Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority said in a statement.

Drug firms such as Cipla, Alembic Pharma and Unichem Laboratories will be impacted by the government's move for prices fixation and revision.

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 1 per cent.

In case of non scheduled formulations companies are allowed to hike prices of medicines by only up to 10 per cent in a year.

The government had notified DPCO, 2013, which covers 680 formulations, effective May 15, 2014, replacing the 1995 order that regulated only 74 bulk drugs.