The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has reduced the price of bulk drug pentazocine from Rs 38,498 to Rs 35,512 per kg. The price has been revised after conducting a detailed cost price study in respect of drug under the provisions of Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO), 1995, stated an official release.

Domestic pharma giant Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited and leading drug maker Ind-Swift Labs Ltd are the two major manufacturers of pentazocine in the country.

The revised price shall be effective within 15 days from December 23, 2002, said the release.

All the manufacturers of the formulations utilising the drug in their scheduled formulations were advised to follow the provisions of DPCO, 1995, with the pricing of the derivative formulations, it added.