Drug body revises prices

The prices have been set in respect of 11 formulation packs.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) today decided to revise the price of bulk drug metronidazole and its derivative metronidazole benzoate from Rs 470 per kg to Rs 471 per kg and Rs 373 per kilo gram to Rs 401 kg, respectively.

This is an increase of 0.21 per cent and 7.57 per cent, respectively.

Metronidazole is used in the treatment of amoebic infection.

A government statement said the increase would result in around a 1 per cent hike in the formulation price of metronidazole benzoate and a negligible or no hike in metronidazole prices.

The NPPA today also deliberated 384 cases relating to setting prices and the revision of prices of formulation packs of which the prices were reduced in respect of 112 cases. Upward revision in the prices has taken place in 13 cases based on pricing applications received from different units.

"In other cases, the authority after considering the available information decided that the existing notified prices be continued. For the first time, the prices have been set in respect of 11 formulation packs, besides five imported insulin formulations," the government said in a statement.