The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised prices of 331 formulation packs based on 52 bulk drugs including monocomponent insulin, multivitamins, potassium penicillin G, ranitidine, salbutamol and various combinations.

The authority has announced the fixed maximum retail price for a range of bulk drug and its combinations through a notification on November 27, 2008. The list includes formulations based on doxycycline, Pyritinol Dihydrochloride, Gentamycin with combinations, Streptomycine with combinations, Phenoxy Methyl Penicillin V, Betamethasone with combinations, Multivitamin, Pseudoephedrine with combinations, Dexamethasone with combinations and Erythromycin with combinations.

The product prices for human and monocomponent insulin products of major pharma companies including Novo Nordisk India, Eli Lilly and Company, Wockhardt Ltd, Biocon Ltd and Shreya Life Sciences. The prices of Levemir FlexPen from Novo Nordisk and various strengths of Monocomponent Insulin - Huminsulin NPH - of Eli Lilly, Wosulin of Wockhardt, Insugen range of Biocon, Recosulin of Shreya Life Sciences were subjected for price revision. The insulin prices will have a slight increase in the market price, as the maximum retail price of almost all the products with their various strengths has undergone a price increase, according to the NPPA announcement.

Further, the prices of various doses of Solu Medrol, Depo - Medrol and Medrol Tablets from Pfizer India and Vitalux Plus TR Tablets from Novartis India has also been revised by the authority. The prices of Depo - Medrol tablets were already revised in the range of 4.21-5.73 per cent in October.

The prices fixed are the maximum retail prices (inclusive of excise duty, sales tax/VAT and local taxes if any) for the specified pack and packs of similar strength, and the manufacturing or the marketing company cannot claim exemption on any ground on the final price, unless specifically permitted by the Government/NPPA through an order, added the authority.

The manufacturing or the marketing company may add taxes only if they have actually paid to the government on the price mentioned in the list and in case of any variation in the MRP (inclusive of the taxes), the company should intimate to the NPPA in Form-V of DPCO, 1995.