The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) which has been revising the prices of essential medicines as per the new Drug Price Control Order, 2013, has claimed that the agency could not fix the prices of 55 formulations as information about the same was not available.

The price regulator, in accordance with the new Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, has already notified prices of over 300 formulations already after the exercise started. The prices of around 650 medicines had to be revised as per the new policy announced some time back.

The agency, which gathers information about the medicines directly from the manufacturers and also through IMS Health from the market, has no explanation in its notice further on why the information is not available about these 55 medicines. NPPA officials were not available for immediate response on the matter.

The drugs for which information not available are: pyrimethamine tablets (25mg), iodine (solution 8mg / 5ml), vitamin D (Ergocalciferol) capsules (0.25mg), vitamin D (Ergocalciferol) capsules (1mg), actinomycin D injection (0.5mg), pentamidine isothionate injection (200mg), ritonavir syrup (400mg/ 5ml), sodium thiosulphate injection (250mg /ml), sodium nitrite injection (30mg/ ml), zinc sulfate syrup (20mg/ 5ml), lignocaine hydrochloride (spinal 5% + 7.5% glucose), ether (inhalation), flumazenil injection (0.1mg/ ml) pralidoxime chloride (2-PAM) Injection (25mg / ml), methylthioninium chlordie (methylene blue)  Injection (10mg / ml), activated charcoal oral, tuberculin, purified protein derivative injection (1TU), tuberculin, purified protein derivative injection (5TU), saquinavir capsules (200mg), sodium valproate syrup (500mg), diazepam suppository (5mg), diazepam syrup (2mg / 5ml), penicillamine tablets (250mg) piperazine tablets (4.5gm), indinavir capsules (200mg), cyclosporine capsules (10mg), water for injection (injection 2ml), potassium chloride injection (11.2% sol.), stavudine capsules (15mg), atropine sulphate injection (1mg / ml) dithranol ointment (0.1-2%), dimercaprol injection in oil (50mg / ml), zinc oxide dusting powder, neomycin + bacitracin ointment (5 mg + 500 iu / g), gentian violet paint (0.5%), sodium meglumine diatrizoate injection (76% w/v(Iodine conc. =370 mg / ml), sodium meglumine diatrizoate injection (60% w/v(Iodine conc. =292 mg / ml), propyliodone oily, suspension (500-600 mg / ml), chlorhexidine solution (5% (conc. for dilution), cyclophosphamide tablets (200mg), nelfinavir capsules (250mg), lignocaine eye drops (4%), meglumine iotroxate solution (5-8 g iodine in 100-250 ml), meglumine iothalamate injection (60% w/v (iodine =280 mg / ml), nicotinamide tablets(50mg), isoniazid tablets (50mg), barium sulphate suspension (100% w/v), barium sulphate suspension (250% w/v), calcium ipodate injection (3g), iopanoic acid tablets (500mg), fresh frozen plasma injection, cryoprecipitate injection, platelet rich plasma injection, polygeline injection (3.5%) and Factor IX Complex (Coagulation Factors II,VII, IX, X) injection.