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.