National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed the price of 81 medicines, including off-patent anti-diabetic drugs, helping to pass on the the benefits of patent expiry to patients.

NPPA has fixed the retail price of ‘insulin human injection, 200IU/ml’ and ‘70% isophane insulin human suspension + 30% insulin human injection 200IU/ml’ produced by Wockhardt Ltd at ₹106.65 per ml each (excluding GST) and Prasugrel Hydrochloride 10 mg + Aspirin 75 mg capsule by Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd at ₹20.16 per capsule (excluding GST) with effect from March 17, an official statement said on Saturday.

These decisions were taken at the 84th meeting of the authority, which was held on March 10, an official statement said on Saturday.

Prices effective April 1

The decision was taken because the five-year price exemption given to these medicines on account of indigenous R&D got over recently. Both the medicines are now being sold at an MRP of ₹132.50 per ml and ₹27.26 per capsule, respectively. With this regulation, the medicines will be available at fair prices to the public at large, the statement said. In addition, NPPA fixed the ceiling prices of two scheduled formulations — anti-infective Povidone Iodine 7.5% Scrub and Levo-Thyroxine 37.5 mg tablet used for treating thyroid-related diseases. The revised prices will be effective from April 2021.

The pharma pricing authority also fixed the retail prices of 76 new drugs to be launched by existing manufacturers, including off-patent anti-diabetic drugs, allowing due benefit of patent expiry to the patients.

The meeting also decided to retain the revised ceiling price of Heparin injection up to September this year. Last year, the NPPA had hiked the price of the essential blood thinner on account of rising raw material costs from China. The ceiling price was fixed till March 31 this year.

Besides, the pharma price regulator has fixed the prices of as many as 41 formulations, including those used for treating allergies, depression, diabetes, heart attacks, hypertension and infections.

The list includes Macleod’s Telmisartan and Hydrochlorothiazidel combination, Telmisartan and Amlodipine combination, and Metformin and Gliclazide combination, besides Mylan’s Cefixime and Ofloxacin combination, Cipla’s Azelnidipine and Telmisartan combination and Aristo’s Atorvastatin plus Clopidogrel plus Aspirin combo drug.

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