NPPA Slashes Prices of 9 Non-Scheduled Cancer Drugs

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has slashed the prices of 9 non-scheduled cancer drugs by up to 87 per cent as part of its efforts to bring down drugs prices. The move is expected to curb profiteering on these vital drugs and to make cancer cure affordable for patients and their families.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) is an independent Regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices under the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. It was constituted in 1997.

Functions of NPPA include:

• To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order.
• To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
• To collect and maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, the profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulations.
• To undertake relevant studies with respect to the pricing of drugs and pharmaceuticals.
• To render advice to the Central Government on changes and revisions in the drug policy.
• To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to the drug pricing.

NPPA implements the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy 2012. NPPA provides ceiling price to all Drugs notified under Schedule-I of the DPCO, 2013 and monitors annual price increase for these and the non-scheduled drugs.