By Dr. Gyan Pathak
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has published a series of orders on April 1, 2025 allowing hike in essential medicines, other drugs, and medical equipment. Prices of essential drugs have been allowed to increase by 1.74 per cent in 2025, as against 0.005 per cent in 2024. The last five years have witnessed sharp rise in prices of essential drugs which were increased by 1.88 per cent, in 2020; 10.76 per cent in 2021; 10.76 per cent in 2022; and 12.12 per cent in 2023, making the prices already unaffordable for the common people.
The orders included: Revised ceiling price (WPI adjusted) of 748 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I (NLEM 2022) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013; fixed retail prices of 80 formulations under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 based on the decision of 131th Authority meeting dated 25.03.2025; Revised ceiling price (WPI adjusted) of 152 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I (NLEM 2015) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013; Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) for two (2) Coronary Stents; Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) of 6 Other IV Fluids with packages having special features of Schedule-I under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013;.
Further included are Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) of 8 IV Fluids with packages having special features of Schedule-I (NLEM 2015) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013; Revised ceiling price of (i) Piperacillin 2gm+Tazobactum 250mg and (ii) Piperacillin 4gm+Tazobactum 500 mg under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (NLEM 2022); Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) of 4 pack size of ringer lactate injection with packages having special features of schedule-I (NLEM 2015) under drugs (prices control) order, 2013; and Revised ceiling price (WPI adjusted) of 6 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I (NLEM 2011) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013.
Revised ceiling price (WPI adjusted) of 748 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I (NLEM 2022) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 has allowed increase of 1.74028 per cent in prices for the medicines listed in the National List of Essential Medicines of India (NLEM).
“…The annual change in WPI works out as (+) 1.74028% during the calendar year 2024 over the corresponding period in 2023… the manufacturers may increase the maximum retail price of scheduled formulations on the basis of this WPI and no prior approval of the government in this regard shall be required,” the price regulator said in its statement.
Price rise will impact the common people further since the essential drugs listed in NLEM are used to treat numerous infectious and noncommunicable diseases. It includes commonly used antibiotics and painkillers too, apart from drugs used for anaesthesia, antiallergics, neurological disorders, cardiovascular medicines, and ear, nose and throat medicines. These drugs also include medicines prescribed for anaemia, vitamins, paracetamol, or common antibiotic like azithromycin.
Revised ceiling price (WPI adjusted) of 6 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I (NLEM 2011) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013 – which include Acetyl Salicylic Acid, Calcium carbonate, Condoms, Dapsone, Medroxy Progesterone, Acetate and Rifampicin. One condom will now cost Rs11.57.
According to Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) of 4 pack size of ringer lactate injection with packages having special features of schedule-I (NLEM 2015) under drugs (prices control) order,2013, a 100 ml pack would cost Rs30.42.
Revised ceiling price of (i) Piperacillin 2gm+Tazobactum 250mg and (ii) Piperacillin 4gm+Tazobactum 500 mg under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (NLEM 2022) puts the cost at Rs224.10 and Rs467.30.
Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) of 8 IV Fluids with packages having special features of Schedule-I (NLEM 2015) under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013 put the price for Glucose injection 5 per cent of 500 ml at Rs83.70. Glucose (A) 5 per cent +Sodium Chloride(B) 0.9 per cent of 500 ml would cost Rs87.01. Sodium chloride 0.9 per cent of 100 ml would cost Rs42.79.
Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) of 6 Other IV Fluids with packages having special features of Schedule-I under Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013 include price rise for the common metronidazole, mannitol, dextrose, and ciprofloxacin. Per ml price would be now available in the range of Rs0.23 to Rs 0.41.
Revised ceiling prices (WPI adjusted) for two (2) Coronary Stents puts the price of Bare Metal Stents at Rs 10692.69, and Drug Eluting Stents (DES) including metallic DES and Bioresorbable Vascular Scaffold (BVS)/Biodegradable Stents at Rs 38933.14.
NPPA has also issued orders for price rise for 152 scheduled formulations of Schedule-I (NLEM 2015) and 80 other formulations in separate orders. Altogether the series of orders will allow hike in prices of over 1000 items. GST may further increase the costs.
The poor and middle class patients would be adversely impacted by the increase in prices of the essential, other drugs, and medical equipment and items, at a time when cost of living crisis has been exacerbating due to decline in real wages and unemployment. (IPA Service)
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