New Delhi, July 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has fixed retail prices for 3,845 new medicines and ceiling prices for 935 scheduled drug formulations to help keep essential medicines affordable for patients, the government informed Parliament on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilisers Anupriya Patel, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, said the price interventions were carried out by the NPPA up to July 23, 2026, under the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), 2013.
The NPPA fixes ceiling prices for medicines listed under Schedule-I of the DPCO, which is based on the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) issued by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The NLEM currently includes 388 medicines.
For non-scheduled formulations, manufacturers are not allowed to increase the maximum retail price (MRP) of a medicine by more than 10 per cent over the MRP prevailing during the previous 12 months.
The minister said the NPPA regularly reviews the availability and affordability of medicines and takes necessary steps whenever intervention is required to ensure access to essential drugs at reasonable prices.
Under the DPCO, 2013, pharmaceutical companies are required to clearly print the maximum retail price on medicine packaging. No seller can charge consumers more than the price mentioned on the current price list, label or pack, whichever is lower.
The NPPA also monitors prices of both scheduled and non-scheduled medicines and takes action against companies found overcharging consumers. Such action may be initiated based on complaints and inputs received from various sources, including State Price Monitoring and Resource Units, State Drug Controllers, market samples, industry databases and grievance redressal channels.
The government has also introduced several initiatives to improve access to affordable medicines, including the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) and the Free Drugs Service Initiative under the National Health Mission.
FOLLOW NOW
