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SPIC urges NPPA to allow tweaking ceiling prices in tune with API price changes
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Gireesh Babu, New Delhi
October 28 , 2021
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The SME Pharma Industries’ Confederation (SPIC) has said that considering the increasing price of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and excipients, the ceiling prices of dosage form of drugs should be allowed to vary in tandem with the ingredient cost from time to time.
During the last couple of months, the prices of bulk drugs have skyrocketed which is unprecedented, said Jagdeep Singh, secretary general, SPIC.
For instance, the price of paracetamol has increased from Rs. 350 per kilogram pre-Covid period to Rs. 900 per kg at present, price of anti epileptic drug carbamezapene from Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,500 per kg, antibiotics ceftriaxone sterile and tazobactum growing from Rs. 6,600 to Rs. 8,200 and Rs. 47,000 to Rs. 55,000 respectively. Aerosol, an excipient for tablets has seen the prices going up from Rs. 500 per kg to Rs. 750 per kg and aluminium foil for blistering of tablets from Rs. 325 to Rs. 525 from pre Covid periods to the current times.
The ceiling prices of dosage form drugs are not revised in time by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) even when the cost of raw material of drug exceeds the ceiling price of drug. NPPA has been inactive when the prices of API have skyrocketed, which is resulting in deterioration of quality. With the demand remaining high for certain dosage form drugs and the legitimate manufacturers not able to produce the drug in view of fixed ceiling price, there is motivation for clandestine elements to fill the void, he said.
“Right now the situation is the worst in history. Legitimate manufacturers are losing market share and getting demoralised,” he said in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The association has been, in the last 10 years, reminding the government about the hazards of dependence on China, especially when it is a rival and aggressive neighbour.
He alleged that the bulk drug dealers have been hoarding certain raw materials and making a quick buck in view of absence of any government policy to curtail them. CDSCO can play a big role in this aspect as the circumstances are exceptional.
“While bulk drug dealers are allowed to profiteer by hoarding, the small units suffer because bit pharma also corners the available quantities of bulk drugs,” he said.
“Unless the API prices are also brought under price control, the ceiling prices of dosage form drugs should be allowed to vary according to API cost from time to time. Government needs to ensure prevention of the existing malaise as listed above if affordable quality generics are to be provided to its population and to the rest of the world,” added Singh.
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