In yet another stern stance on implementing the new pharmaceutical pricing policy, the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) has rejected the review petitions by Zydus Healthcare which challenged the price fixation done by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in case of its eight formulations.

The DoP rejected petitions on the grounds that the applications lacked any merit. The Department has in the recent past rejected several such review petitions after many companies challenged the price revision carried out in line with the new Drug Price Control Order, 2013.

Zydus, under para 31 of DPCO, 2013, moved the DoP against NPPA price fixation Orders S.O. No1620(E), 1635(E), 1636(E), 1653(E), 1667(E) dated 14.6.13, 1810(E), 1811(E) and 1829(E) dated 21.6.2013 thereby fixing ceiling price of various scheduled medicines under DPCO, 2013.

The company challenged the ceiling price fixed for folic acid tablet (5 mg), losartan potassium tablets (25 mg), losartan potassium tablets (50 mg), pantoprazol injection (40 mg), norethisterone tablets (5 mg), atenolol tablets (50 mg), atorvastatin tablets (10 mg), and omeprazole capsules (20 mg).

“Whereas aggrieved by the above notifications, Zydus Healthcare had represented to the reviewing authority against the said price fixation orders. Personal hearing was granted to the petitioners by the Department on 9.9.2013. The issues involved in the review applications have been examined based on the record note of discussions of the personal hearing and other documents on record,” according to the order by the DoP.

“The review applications of the Petitioners are rejected on the grounds of being devoid of merits,” said the order dated October 21, 2013.

After implementing the DPCO, the NPPA has started the exercise of revising the ceiling price of scheduled formulations as per the list of 348 essential medicines. It has already fixed the prices for over 300 formulations, out of the total around 620 formulations for which the agency has to fix the new ceiling prices.