Bulk drug prices revised

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised the prices of some bulk drugs and formulations, including Sodium and Procaine Penicillin G, Phenramine Maleate, Trimethoprim and Rifampicin.

As part of the revision, the government's pricing watchdog has reduced the price of Sodium Penicillin G by 32 per cent from Rs 1207 per BU to Rs 824 per BU, that of Procaine penicillin G by 28.5 per cent to Rs 971 per BU and of Benzathine Penicillin G by nearly 17 per cent to Rs 2055 per kg.

The prices of Pheniramine Maleate have been reduced by 3.7 per cent to Rs 1107 per kg, of Trimethoprim by 20 per cent to Rs 840/kg and of Rifampicin by 2.3 per cent to Rs 3560 per kg. An NPPA release said the existing prices would continue to apply in case of Pentoxyphylline, Phenylbutazone and Frusemide.

In case of formulations, the authority approved the proposals for revision of norms for Conversion Cost (CC), Packing Charges (PC) and Process Loss (PL) and Packing Material (PMC) under Para 7 of DPCO, 1995. It also approved 38 cases of pricing of Insulin formulation imported in finished form.

Based on these norms, there will be an increase in prices of formulations from 0.6 per cent to 1.2 per cent in the case of tablets, capsules, liquids and ointments, whereas Ampoules and Vials may see a reduction in price by about 0.74 per cent as per the NPPA projections.

As of this evening, the industry appeared uncertain about the impact of the revision. "The impact is difficult to talk of right away. Even if companies take a hit on price-controlled drugs, they make up in non-price controlled drugs. This is one of the run of the mill revisions that one shouldn't get too perturbed about," said Daara Patel, secretary general of the Indian Drug Manufacturers' Association.