New Delhi: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised / fixed the prices of 16 drugs used to treat urinary tract infections, asthma and lung infections and anti-inflammatory drugs, and vitamins. It has also, for the first time, fixed the ceiling price of recombinant human insulin, scheduled bulk drugs including derivatives under the provisions of DPCO, 1995.

The price revision pertain to the following bulk drug drugs:
Sulphamethoxazole (used for urinary tract infections) prices reduced from Rs324 per kg to Rs323 per kg, a decrease of 0.3 per cent in comparison to the earlier notified price.

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) and its derivative vitamin B2 5 phosphate have been slashed from Rs1,525 per kg to Rs972 per kg and Rs2721 per kg to Rs2217 per kg., respectively constituting a price reduction of 36.26 per cent and 18.52 per cent compared to the earlier notified price.

Cloxacillin sodium (oral) and cloxacillin sodium (sterile) have been revised downward from Rs1,421 per kg to Rs1,154 per kg and Rs1,890 per kg to Rs1 652per kg, respectively. The reduction is 18.79 per cent and 12.59 per cent compared to the earlier notified amounts.

Theophylline and hydroxy ethyl theophylline (etophylline) have been lowered from Rs 499per kg to Rs439 per kg and Rs650 per kg to Rs511 per kg, respectively. The revised prices are lower by 12.02 per cent and 21.38 per cent against the existing price.

Salbutamol sulphate, (used in the treatment of asthma) has been cut by 15.6 per cent from
Rs5710 per kg to Rs4819 per kg.

Vitamin C, vitamin C (coated) and sodium ascorbate have been revised downward by 17.33 per cent, from Rs 479 per kg to Rs396 per kg, by by19.92 per cent from Rs477 per kg to Rs382 per kg and by 21.52 per cent from Rs525 per kg to Rs412 per kg respectively.

Pyrantal pamoate has been cut from Rs1,361 per kg to Rs1,204 per kg The revised price is 11.5 per cent lower than the existing notified price.

Recombinant human insulin has been fixed for the first time at Rs33,31,2 61 per kg.
Biocon and Wockhardt are the two companies producing human insulin in the country.

Betamethasone alcohol, betamethasone valerate and betamethasone di-sodium phosphate has been cut from Rs 221 per gm., Rs210 per gm and Rs176 per gm to Rs220 per gm, Rs209 per gm and Rs175 per gm respectively. The prices have been reduced by 0.45 per cent, 0.48 per cent and 0.57 per cent against the earlier prices.

The companies likely to be affected by the price revisions include Cipla, Lupin and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals. The NPPA has also fixed the ceiling price of the recombinant human insulin for the first time ever and will affect Wockhardt and Biocon the two companies producing human insulin.

According to an official statement from the NPPA, the change in price was effected due to change in the rate of corporate tax.