Costs of raw material for drugs rise by up to 140%
SECTIONS
Share
Synopsis
API prices of certain drugs like fever and pain relief drug paracetamol and life-saving antibiotic Meropenem (also used for Covid), and anti-diabetic metformin, have more than doubled to as high as 139%, 127% and 124% respectively, putting the spotlight back on India’s near total-dependence on the Dragon.
Getty Images
(This story originally appeared in on Jul 20, 2021)A steep rise in the cost of raw materials for essential drugs, called active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) in pharma circles, by up to 140% in certain cases since the pre-pandemic level, is pinching the industry hard. The overall increase, averaging nearly 50% in the wake of high-priced imports and supply disruptions from China, have raised doubts on the availability of drugs and could lead to shortages, particularly of those that are key in Covid therapy.
Over 45,000 cases of mucormycosis reported in country
indiatimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Over 45,000 cases of mucormycosis reported in country, says Mandaviya
business-standard.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from business-standard.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Over 45,000 cases of mucormycosis reported in country
indiatoday.in - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from indiatoday.in Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Representative image (AP)
NEW DELHI: The drug price regulator capped the trade margin of five widely-used medical devices, particularly for management of Covid-19, like pulse oximeter, blood pressure monitoring machine, nebulizer, digital thermometer and glucometer at 70%.
The move is expected to result in a significant drop in MRP of these products that are in high demand with many Covid patients under home isolation and treatment needing regular monitoring of blood pressure, blood sugar and oxygen level as well as fever, etc. The data collected by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) shows earlier the margins were ranging up to 709% from price to distributor to MRP level.