The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised prices of 285 drug formulation packages out of which prices of 260 drugs were fixed for first time. Through the notification, the NPPA has reduced prices of 263 medicines even as the prices of 22 drugs were increased.

The price regulator has fixed the price of 226 drug formulations including various dosages of multivitamin syrup, drop and suspension and combinations of dexamethasone, betamethasone, acetyl salicylic acid, ephedrine, doxycyline etc, after receiving complaints that the products were sold without prior approval from the authority.

NPPA's new notification has brought 12 new formulations under the non ceiling packs section and another 13 formulations under the ceiling packs segment. Besides, prices of products of Pfizer, Novartis, Wockhardt, Biocon and M J Biopharm were revised or fixed newly through the notification.

The prices for various strengths of Wosulin, the human insulin from Mumbai based Wockhardt Ltd, has been increased at around 14.56 to 17.08 per cent while Biocon's human insulin - Insugen - formulations were gone through a price hike of 14.56 to 15.66 per cent. The price of various strengths of Biosulin, the human insulin formulation from M J Biopharm along with its other insulin products has also been fixed.

The price increase ranging from 1.35 per cent for 4 ml vial of solu medrol AOV 500 mg from Pfizer India to 28.76 per cent for the ceiling price of lincomycin capsule 10's strip/blister were announced through the notification.

The fixed and revised prices should be complied by the companies within 15 days from March 12, 2009. Pro-rata pricing for packs of same composition but of different sizes will be applicable as per notifications in 1998 for tablet and capsule packed in strip/blister, informs NPPA notification.