The government is fixing ceiling prices under the drug pricing control mechanism. As a result, the prices of 56 important medicines used in treatment of cancer, diabetes, bacterial infections and high blood pressure, may come down.
According to notifications by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), the companies whose drugs are included for price fixation include Abbott Healthcare, Cipla, Lupin, Alembic, Alkem Laboratories, Novartis, Biocon, Intas Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Healthcare and erstwhile Ranbaxy (now Sun Pharmaceutical Industries).
The notification also says, The authority has fixed/revised ceiling prices of a total of 56 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I under Drugs (Price Control) Amendment Order, 2016, and retail prices of eight formulations under DPCO, 2013, according to the notifications. The manufacturers not complying with the ceiling price and notes specified herein-above shall be liable to deposit the overcharged amount along with interest thereon.