New Delhi, April 3 (IANS) The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare debunked recent media reports claiming a significant surge in medicine prices as “false, misleading and malicious”. The Ministry clarified that there will be almost no change in the ceiling prices of medicines for the upcoming fiscal year.
Contrary to some media reports asserting a 12 per cent increase in medicine prices affecting over 500 drugs from April, the Ministry emphasized that the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) annually revises ceiling prices of scheduled medicines based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI).
According to the Ministry, the WPI increase of 0.00551 per cent will result in no change in ceiling prices for 782 medicines, with only 54 medicines experiencing a minimal increase of Rs 0.01. These 54 medicines have a ceiling price ranging from Rs 90 to Rs 261, and manufacturers may choose not to implement this minuscule increase in their product pricing.
The Ministry underlined that the WPI increase is the maximum permissible hike as per the Drug Price Control Orders (DPCO) 2013, and companies adjust their Maximum Retail Price (MRP) based on the ceiling price of medicines. The revised prices will come into effect from April 1, with details available on NPPA’s website for reference.
