The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPAPA) has revised/fixed the prices of five bulk drugs used in medicines for pneumonia and pain killers. The national drug price regulator has also revised the prices of 240 formulation packs.

According to the notification of the NPPA, the regulator has fixed the prices of bulk drug dextropropoxyphene napsylate and dextropropoxyphene Hcl at Rs 5,535 per kg and Rs 3,361 per kg, respectively. The drugs are used in preparing medicines to treat mild pain and as local anaesthetics.

It has fixed the price of cephazolin sodium used in manufacturing injection for the treatment of pneumonia and other respiratory infections at a price of Rs 3,361 per kg.

NPPA has fixed the prices of naproxen and naproxen sodium at Rs 1,585 per kg and Rs 1,617 per kg, respectively. These bulk drugs are used in preparing medicines for treating pain or inflammation caused by arthritis.

NPPA fixes the price for bulk drugs and the formulations based on them using the provisions of Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 1995.

The 240 formulation packs for which prices were revised on September 14 included the formulations based on bulk drugs: ascorbic acid (vitamin C) with combinations, theophylline with combinations, rifampicin with combinations, acetyl salicylic acid (Aspirin) with combinations, salbutamol with combinations, multivitamin, etophylline with combinations, metronidazole with combinations, cloxacillin with combinations, Aspirin with combinations, sulphadimidine, ibuprofen with combinations, dexamethasone with combinations, vitamin E with combinations, Solu Medrol/Depo Medrol/Medrol (methyl prednisolone), Daivobet (betamethasone), Lantus/Apidra (insulin), Vitalux Plus TR (multivitamin), Recosulin (monocomponent insulin), Lupisulin (monocomponent insulin), Beplex Forte Elixir (multivitamin), Calron (multivitamin), Naunehal Baby Tonic (multivitamin), Gamone (multivitamin) and Cinkara (multivitamin).