The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed/revised the prices of 94 formulation packs on July 9, 2003. The formulations include products based on bulk drugs like vitamin with lactic acid bacillus, vitamin E acetate, prednisolone, multivitamin, erythromycin stearate, erythromycin estolate, erythromycin ethyl succinate, erythromycin base, cefotaxime, aspirin etc. These formulations are mainly corticosteroids, antibiotic, anti-bacterial, analgesic, vitamin based formulations used in diseases caused by deficiency of vitamins etc.

While there has been a price cut ranging from 0.26% to 61.92% on 75 packs, there is a price increase in the range of 0.10% to 17.87% in the case of six drugs. The prices have been fixed for the first time for 12 formulation packs. There is no change of price in respect of one pack.

Wockhardt Pvt Ltd remains the most affected company in the recent price revision with 10 of its products coming under the list of price-revised drugs. The packs on which non-ceiling prices have been fixed are R-Human Insulin (regular) 40iu/ml and 100iu/ml (2 pack), Lente Human Insulin Zinc 40iu/ml and 100iu/ml (2 packs), R-Human Insulin NPH 40iu/ml and 100iu/ml (2 packs), R-Human Insulin Biphasic (50%- 50%) 40 and 100iu/ml (2 packs), R-Human Insulin Biphasic (30%- 70%) 40 and 100iu/ml (2 packs).

Alembic has seven of its erythrocin estolatetab/suspension/granules/drops packs under the new list. Abbott, Anglo French, Aventis Pharma, East India, E Merck India Ltd, Indo-Swift, Lupin Labs Ltd, Wyeth Lederle Ltd and Zydus Cadila are the other companies whose products figure in the fixed price list of NPPA.

According to an NPPA press release, the downward price revision was warranted due to downward revision in the price of various scheduled bulk drugs. The increase in raw material prices was the reason for the price hike in the case of six packs, it explained.

Of the 94 formulation packs, ceiling prices (exclusive of excise duty and local taxes etc.) have been fixed in respect of 52 packs, which are applicable to all the manufacturers of all such formulations including SSI Units. Non-ceiling prices (inclusive of excise duty but exclusive of local taxes etc.) have been fixed in respect of 42 packs. The prices have been fixed/revised in accordance with the provisions of the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO), 1995 and as per the established criteria and guidelines.

Prices have been fixed/revised for Insulin-based formulation used in the treatment of diabetics, prednisolone-based formulations used as corticosteroids, erythromycin-based formulations used as antibiotic, vitamin-based formulations used in diseases caused by deficiency of vitamins, cefotaxime-based formulations used as anti-bacterial and aspirin-based formulations used as analgesic.

The prices fixed/revised would become effective within 15 days from the date of notification in the official gazette or the receipt of the order of the NPPA in this behalf, as per Para 14(1) of DPCO, 1995. The manufacturers are also required to work out the pro-rata prices of different pack sizes as the case may be in terms of S.O. No. 83 (E) dated 27.01.98.