NPPA releases ceiling price of 761 medicines before GST

New Delhi: Drug price regulator NPPA today announced provisional ceiling prices of 761 medicines, including anti-cancer, HIV, diabetes and antibiotic, with a majority being reduced ahead of the GST implementation.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said however that the actual increase or decrease in prices after the rollout of new indirect tax regime is expected to be in the range of 2-3 per cent depending on states. "In order to facilitate smooth implementation of GST for companies, we have worked out the provisional ceiling prices of 761 formulations," NPPA Chairman Bhupendra Singh told PTI. He said the actual price increase or decrease in drug prices post GST would be nominal ranging between 2-3 per cent.

NPPA has asked pharmaceutical firms to check the list and inform it if there is a need for any correction by June 29. The Goods and Services Tax is to be rolled out from July 1. "These prices will be notified as formal revised ceiling prices immediately after GST notification," NPPA said.

As per the provisional list, ceiling price of various cancer drugs like Bortezomib, Docetaxel and Gemcitabine have been reduced. Ceiling price of Bortezomib has been fixed at Rs 11,160.08 per pack, down from Rs 11,636.60 at present while that of a a pack of Docetaxel has been fixed at Rs 10,326.94 from Rs 10,767.88 currently.

Similarly, price of Gemcitabine will come down to Rs 4,813.94 per pack from the current Rs 5,019.49. Also, breast cancer treatment medicine Trastuzumab injection pack has been fixed at Rs 54,582.25 post July 1, down from Rs 56,912.83 earlier.

Ceiling price of HIV combination drug of Tenofovir (300mg), Lamivudine (300mg) and  Efavirenz (600mg) has been fixed at Rs 89.69 per tablet, down from Rs 93.52 per tablet earlier.

Price of one tablet of HIV treatment drug Darunavir has been fixed at Rs 151.4, down from Rs 157.93. Besides cost of one tablet of Lamivudine and Zidovudine combination has been reduced to Rs 18.20 from Rs 18.98 currently. Ceiling price of Eplilespy drug Levetiracetam has also been reduced.

Price of single tablet of Diabetes drug Metformin has come down to Rs 3.31 from Rs 3.45 currently. Paracetamol 500 mg tablet cost has been fixed at Re 0.82 from Re 0.85. Ceiling price of drug eluting stents will however remain unchanged at Rs 30,180. Ceiling price of Atorvastatin tablets, used to treat hypertension, has also been reduced.

Similarly, the ceiling prices of various antibiotics like Azithromycin, Ciprofloxacin, Clarithromycin, Ampicillin, Amoxicillin have also been lowered. Ibuprofen and Imatinib prices are also fixed at a lower slab. Price of one tablet of Entecavir, used to treat Hepatitis B, has come down to Rs 69.44 from Rs 72.40.