Navi Mumbai turning Textile Waste into Opportunity for People (See 'Corp Brief') Company Law - Sourcing pre-condition deposit unlawfully from corporate funds in direct violation of Sec 185, or executing settlement agreements without effectuating actual refunds or delivering legally valid & habitable possession, is illegal: SC (See 'Legal Desk') TRAI releases Paper on 'Formulation of Regulatory Framework for ALTD Services (See 'Corp Brief') IPR - Minor alteration to well-established trademark, such as changing single letter, does not render new mark dissimilar, especially when it remains phonetically and visually close to original: HC (See 'Legal Desk') GeM achieves Rs 18.4 Lakh Crore GMV, Emerges as Key Digital Public Procurement Platform (See 'Corp Brief') Benami Act - Burden of proof of benami transaction rests strictly upon person asserting it, and reliance solely on uncorroborated statements of third parties recorded in unrelated Income Tax proceedings, is insufficient: SAFEMA (See 'Legal Desk') Union Minister to inaugurate NCVET Capacity Building (See 'Corp Brief') FEMA - Continuing adjudication u/s 16 of FEMA despite competent authority's refusal to confirm seizure u/s 37A of FEMA, is contrary to law: SC (See 'Legal Desk') Minister calls for stronger research-industry linkages to scale food innovation sector (See 'Corp Brief') A&C Act - Doctrine of 'transnational issue estoppel' applies to enforcement proceedings u/s 48 of Arbitration Act, barring enforcement court from undertaking merits-based review: SC (See 'Legal Desk') MoS backs scaling up indigenous Insulin production amid global supply concerns (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Mere existence of document, despite it containing arbitration clause, would not qualify as arbitration agreement, unless it is signed by parties seeking to invoke clause as also party against whom enforcement is sought: HC (See 'Legal Desk') New Sainik School reflects Centre's Vision for Nation-Building through Education (See 'Corp Brief') A&C - Agreement to sell being unregistered and unstamped as per Registration Act, Transfer of Property Act, and Indian Stamps Act, cannot be enforced: HC (See 'Legal Desk') Supreme Court Clears Path For Single Insolvency Proceedings Against Linked Group Companies (See CORP EINSICHT)

NPPA monitors prices of scheduled & non-scheduled medicines

Published: Jul 30, 2024

By TIOLCorplaws News Service

NEW DELHI, JULY 30, 2024: AS per the provisions of Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013), formulations listed in Schedule-I of the DPCO are defined as scheduled formulation under section 2(1)(zb) of DPCO, 2013. Formulations not included in Schedule-I are defined under Para 2(1)(v) of DPCO, 2013 as non-scheduled formulation. Thus, both schedule and non-schedule drugs are covered under DPCO, 2013. 

As per the extant provisions of DPCO, 2013, the ceiling prices of scheduled medicines are revised annually on the basis of Wholesale Price Index (WPI) (all commodities) for preceding calendar year by National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), on or before 1st April of every year and is notified by the Government on the 1st day of April every year. The details of price fixed by NPPA are available at NPPA's website i.e. nppaindia.nic.in.  In case of non-scheduled formulation (branded or generic), as per para 20 of DPCO, 2013, no manufacturers can increase Maximum Retail Price (MRP) by more than 10% of MRP during preceding 12 months.  The maximum permissible increase in prices, as per the provisions of DPCO, 2013 for scheduled and non-scheduled drugs may or may not be availed by their respective manufacturers based on commercial considerations and market dynamics.

Under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1945 and Rules thereunder, manufacturers of drugs are required to comply with conditions of manufacturing licence and the requirements of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP).  As per the Drugs Rules, 1945, the manufacturing, testing, labeling, packaging, storage and distribution are required to be carried out in compliance with the conditions of license including the Good manufacturing practices (GMP) prescribed under the Schedule M of the Drugs Rules, 1945. In case of violation, the Licensing Authority is empowered to take action as per the said Act and Rules.

NPPA monitors the prices of scheduled as well as non-scheduled medicines under DPCO, 2013.  Action is taken against companies, found selling formulations at prices higher than the permissible price, and the overcharged amount is recovered from the company as per the relevant provisions of the DPCO, 2013. During the financial year 2023-24, Rs. 72.73 crore was recovered from the defaulting companies.

This information was given by the Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers Anupriya Patel in Rajya Sabha in reply to a question today.

TIOL CORP SEARCH

TIOL GROUP WEBSITES