• Medicines to get costlier from April 1; government body approves price hike

    National
    Medicines to get costlier from April 1; government body approves price hike
    For the second time in two years, the rise in pricing for scheduled drugs has outpaced that of non-scheduled drugs. 

    Digital Desk: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has approved an increase in prices for essential medicines. The price increase goes into effect on April 1, and the cost of medicines is projected to rise by roughly 12%.

    The cost of pain relievers, anti-infectives, and drugs used to treat heart patients is likely to skyrocket.

    Every year, the Pharmaceuticals (Price Control) Order, 2013, or DPCO, 2013, regulates drug pricing.

    It should be noted that the price increase applies only to listed pharmaceuticals, the prices of which are regulated by the NPPA. The government allows for a 10% increase in non-scheduled medicine prices every year.

    For the second time in two years, the rise in pricing for scheduled drugs has outpaced that of non-scheduled drugs. According to the regulatory agency, the change in the Wholesale Price Index in 2022 was 12.12%.

    Costs for 384 compounds, which correspond to around 900 formulations across 27 therapies, are likely to rise by 12%, according to the Times of India.

    The price increase is bound to affect customers, especially because the costs of other necessary necessities are also rising.