Kolkata: While the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has increased prices of more than 760 medicines by 0.6% based on wholesale pricing data, the medicine retailers in the city are wary over the central govt’s decision to keep scope for increasing prices further owing to change in raw material prices of nearly 900 medicines. The present increase of 0.6% is, however, much lower than the increase of 10% and above in 2022 and 2023. The NPPA has implemented an annual price revision for scheduled medicines, enabling manufacturers to increase the maximum retail price of essential drugs by 0.6%. The price adjustment applies to the National List of Essential Medicines, which includes approximately 900 to 1,000 drug formulations. Key categories affected due to the increase include common antibiotics like azithromycin and amoxicillin. It also includes analgesics like paracetamol and ibuprofen. “The changes, which are effective from April 1, 2026, are within the acceptable range. However, the increase was minimal last year,” said Rajiv Singhal, general secretary of the All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD). Prices of diabetes management medicines, like metformin, insulin, medicines for hypertension and cardiac care will also increase. “There are other specialised care medicines, like those used in treatment of mental health, seizures and various vitamins. Prices of medical devices, like coronary stents, were also revised,” said Prithwi Bose, secretary of Bengal Chemists and Druggists Association. “The centre has kept a provision to increase prices further. This will enable the medicine manufacturers to shore up prices based on the increase in raw material prices. Unless the prices are capped, it will burn holes in the pockets of the middle class and lower middle class,” Bose said. In the past one month, war in West Asia has disrupted the pharmaceutical supply chain, and prices of raw materials or active pharmaceutical ingredients increased two-fold. “There are reports that the price of paracetamol alone has increased to Rs 450 per kg from Rs 250. As a result, drug manufacturers are warning of increase in prices of medicine and hinting at supply shortages if the situation continues. This leaves medicine retailers with a lot of apprehensions about further price escalation,” said Somnath Ghosh of Metro Pharma.
