Essential Medicine Prices Soar by Over 50% After Government Approval
“Essential Medicine Prices Soar by Over 50% After Government Approval”
India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has approved a price increase of more than 50% for certain essential medicines. These medications are used to treat conditions like asthma, glaucoma, tuberculosis, thalassemia, and mental health disorders.
The decision, made on October 8, was based on powers given under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. The affected medicines include Benzylpenicillin, Atropine injection, Streptomycin, Salbutamol tablets, Respirator solution, Pilocarpine eye drops, Cefadroxil tablets, Desferrioxamine, and Lithium tablets.
The NPPA explained that the price increase is meant to ensure that these vital medicines remain available and affordable. Many of these drugs are low-cost and are often used as first-line treatments in public health programs. The authority wants to prevent these critical drugs from disappearing from the market.
Pharmaceutical companies have been pushing for price revisions because of rising costs of raw materials, production, and currency fluctuations. Some manufacturers have even considered discontinuing certain medicines due to unsustainable costs under current regulations. The NPPA has made similar price adjustments in the past, including in 2019 and 2021, to keep essential medicines accessible.