New medicines for treatment of diabetes, hypertension and pneumonia are set to be cheaper from Diwali. Drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped prices of as many as 18 new brands of essential medicines, most of which are expected to be launched in the market within a fortnight. The regulator has brought these medicines under price regulation using paragraph 5 of the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO), 2013, and has fixed their maximum retail price at the average of MRP of all medicines available in that particular therapeutic segment with at least 1% market share.
The NPPA move is expected to provide consumers with more treatment options which are also cheaper for critical diseases like diabetes and hypertension. On the other hand, it is likely to keep a check on companies trying to launch price controlled formulations under new and different brands after minor changes in the composition or dosage.