The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has allowed drug companies to take a one-time price increase on the heparin injections, a blood thinner that is recommended by the health ministry for treatment of severe Covid-19 patients.
The regulator had received applications from companies who had made their case on the grounds that the cost of APIs which constitute a major portion of the input cost and mainly imported from China, has risen to a considerable extent making the companies entirely unviable to continue manufacturing the formulations.
“The companies also contended that over the years the regulated price have decreased whereas there is consistent increase in the price of imported APIs thereby making it commercially unviable for the drug manufacturers to manufacture the said product,” said Prasanjit Das, additional director of NPPA.
Reports of shortagIndia allowed prices of a blood thinner recommended for some Covid patients to be raised by 50% due to higher input costs.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority permitted a one-time price increase for heparin injections after companies complained about the rising cost of its active pharmaceutical ingredients.
The regulator set the ceiling price for Heparin 1000 IU/ml at Rs 24 and for heparin 5000 IU/ml at Rs 60.
The regulator had received applications from heparin manufacturers that the cost of APIs, which constitute a major portion of input expenses and are mainly imported from China, had risen to a considerable extent, making it unviable for the companies to continue producing the formulations
News Source: Economic Times