BMJ 2015;351:h6006 doi: 10.1136/bmj.
h6006 (Published 9 November 2015)
News
Prices of 18 new drug formulations are capped in India
Cheryl Travasso
Mumbai
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority of India has
capped the prices of 18 new drug formulations, including an
intrauterine contraceptive device, antibiotics, painkillers, and
drugs for diabetes and hypertension.
The prices have been capped under the Drugs Price Control
Order (DPCO) 2013, which establishes a market based pricing
mechanism to control the costs of drugs in India.
Sharmila Mary Joseph, member secretary at the National
Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, told The BMJ that these 18
formulations were related to the price controlled schedule I
drugs of the DPCO, which include the 2011 National List of
Essential Medicines of India. They may be a modification or a
combination of drugs on the schedule I list or a combination of
a schedule I drug with a new drug, she said. Under DPCO 2013
the manufacturers of new formulations containing schedule I
drugs must apply for price approval before launch. So far the
ceiling prices of 530 schedule I drugs and the retail prices of
247 new formulations containing schedule I drugs have been
fixed, she added.
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NEWS
The latest formulations to have their prices capped include
metformin hydrochloride 1000 mg (prolonged release; Rs3.40
(0.03; 0.05; $0.05) per tablet); aceclofenac 100 mg plus
paracetamol 325 mg tablets (Mahadol; Rs2.77 per tablet);
metformin hydrochloride 500 mg (sustained release) plus
voglibose 0.2 mg plus glimepiride 1 mg (Rs71.43 for 10 tablets);
metformin hydrochloride 500 mg (sustained release) plus
voglibose 0.2 mg plus glimepiride 2 mg (Rs90.48 for 10 tablets);
levonorgestrel releasing intrauterine device (Rs4652.45 per
device); cefixime dry syrup (Rs1.39 per mL); ofloxacin 200 mg
plus ornidazole 500 mg (BrutafloxOZ; Rs6.60 per tablet);
bisoprolol fumarate plus amlodipine (CORBIS AM 2.5/5;
Rs61.78 for 10 tablets; CORBIS AM 5/5; Rs73.36 for 10
tablets).
The products are made by companies including Cipla, Merck,
Inventia Healthcare, Zuventus Healthcare, Alembic
Pharmaceuticals, and Apex Lab.
Cite this as: BMJ 2015;351:h6006
BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 2015
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