Centre approves hike in price for 4 medicines, including 2 cancer drugs, Pg22

Key Highlights:

• The Centre approved a price increase for four essential medicines, including two cancer drugs, on Wednesday, June 7.
• The decision addresses a nationwide shortage of these critical drugs, impacting cancer patients.
• The affected medicines include chemotherapy drugs Cisplatin and Carboplatin, along with two anti-tetanus injections.
• The Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP) granted in-principle approval to the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) for the hike.

Detailed Insights:

• The primary objective of the price increase is to ensure the continued availability of these vital medications in the market.
• Shortages of these commonly used drugs had led to significant distress among cancer patients and their families.
• The NPPA regulates the prices of essential medicines under the provisions of the Drug Prices Control Order 2013 (DPCO 2013).
• The price adjustment is specifically linked to the documented increase in raw material costs for manufacturing these formulations.
• The DoP instructed the NPPA to verify raw material data and implement price increases, guided by a formula suggesting a 10% to 50% hike from the last fixation.
• These four drugs were among 82 formulations recommended for price review by an Inter-Ministerial Committee to ensure their consistent supply.
• Oncologists across the country had previously highlighted the critical unavailability of these chemotherapy drugs in pharmacies.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA): A government regulatory body responsible for controlling the prices of pharmaceutical drugs in India.
• Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP): A department under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, overseeing policy and regulation of the pharmaceutical sector.
• Drug Prices Control Order (DPCO) 2013: A government order to regulate the prices of essential drugs, ensuring their affordability and accessibility.
• Essential Medicines: Drugs that meet the priority healthcare needs of the population, selected based on disease prevalence and public health relevance.