Prices of over 900 essential medicines to increase from April 1 | Details

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has announced an increase in the prices of over 900 essential drugs, up to 1.74 per cent, from April 1. The list includes medicines for critical infections, heart diseases, and diabetes.

“Further, as per provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013), these ceiling prices of scheduled medicines are revised annually based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) (all commodities). The ceiling prices of scheduled medicines for the financial year 2024-25 were increased by 0.00551 per cent with effect from 1.4.2024, based on annual change in WPI (all commodities). NPPA also fixes the retail price of new drugs, as defined in paragraph 2(1)(u) of DPCO, 2013,” said Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel in Lok Sabha in a written reply.

The regulator also said in a statement that “the annual change in WPI works out as (+) 1.74028 per cent during the calendar year 2024 over the corresponding period in 2023.”

What gets costlier?

According to a Financial Express report, the ceiling price of 250mg and 500mg of antibiotic azithromycin will be ₹11.87 and ₹23.98 per tablet, respectively.

• The price of dry syrups with amoxicillin and clavulanic acid is fixed at ₹2.09 per ml.

• Diclofenac (Painkiller): Maximum price set at ₹2.09 per tablet.

• Ibuprofen (Painkiller):

– 200 mg: ₹0.72 per tablet.

– 400 mg: ₹1.22 per tablet.

• Diabetes medication (Dapagliflozin + Metformin Hydrochloride + Glimepiride): Around ₹12.74 per tablet.

• Acyclovir (Antiviral):

– 200 mg: ₹7.74 per tablet.

– 400 mg: ₹13.90 per tablet.

• Hydroxychloroquine (Antimalarial):

– 200 mg: ₹6.47 per tablet.

– 400 mg: ₹14.04 per tablet.

Drug manufacturers may increase the maximum retail prices of these formulations based on this WPI, and no prior approval of the Centre is necessary.

The NPPA, under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, revises the prices of essential medicines every year based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI). The regulator maintains the prices of these medicines in a category called the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).