The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), has fixed ceiling prices of 355 medicines and 882 formulations for medicines under the National List of Essential Medicines, 2015 (Schedule-I of DPCO, 2013).

Most of the drugs that are part of COVID management protocol have ceiling prices, viz., Paracetamol, Dexamethasone, Methyl Prednisolone, IVIGs, Enoxaparin, Budesonide, Heparin and Amphotericin etc. In the case of few non-scheduled medicines like Remdesivir, which are part of COVID protocol and are non-scheduled, on Government intervention, MRPs of various brands of Remdesivir have been reduced voluntarily by the major manufacturers/marketers of the Remdesivir Injection (lyophilized).  Inter-brand MRPs that varied up to Rs 5400/ per vial was brought down to less than Rs 3500.

Furthermore, to facilitate availability and ensure affordability, NPPA has capped the trade margin for Oxygen Concentrators at 70% on Price to Distributor (PTD) level vide notification dated 3^rd June 2021 and on Pulse Oximeter, Glucometer, BP Monitor, Nebulizer and Digital Thermometer vide notification dated 13^th July 2021.

NPPA fixes the ceiling prices of scheduled formulations as per provisions of DPCO, 2013 and monitors the prices of non-scheduled drugs to ensure that their prices do not increase beyond 10 per cent in a year. NPPA has fixed ceiling prices of 355 medicines and 882 formulations for medicines under the National List of Essential Medicines, 2015 (Schedule-I of DPCO, 2013).

In addition, retail prices for 1,640 formulations have been fixed under DPCO, 2013 till date and in recent years exercising extraordinary powers under DPCO, 2013 in the public interest, NPPA has fixed the prices of following drugs and medical devices such as stents in February 2017, knee implants in August 2017 and capped trade margins on 42 anti-cancer drugs in February 2019.  

The information was given by the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply in the Lok Sabha last week.