Pharma authority caps prices of medicines for diabetes, heart disease, antibiotics, others for chronic therapies
The list is dominated by fixed-dose combinations used in long-term treatment including cholesterol and diabetes as well as for hormone-related conditions.
- May 6, 2026,
- Updated May 6, 2026 11:11 AM IST
New Delhi: Patients buying medicines for chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, as well as certain hormone-related treatments, will now be protected by price caps after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) fixed retail prices of 42 formulations in its latest order.
Issued under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, the drug pricing regulator's notification sets per-unit ceiling prices for these drugs, placing an upper limit on what can be charged at pharmacies, excluding GST.
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The list is dominated by fixed-dose combinations used in long-term treatment. Cholesterol-lowering therapies such as atorvastatin with ezetimibe have been capped between ₹21.36 and ₹32.46 per tablet, while gliclazide with metformin, prescribed for diabetes, has been fixed at ₹10.53 per tablet. Antibiotic combinations like cefixime with potassium clavulanate have been priced at ₹25 per tablet.
Alongside these, the order also includes a higher-priced combination of relugolix, estradiol and norethindrone acetate, used in hormone-related conditions, which has been capped in the range of ₹107.22 to ₹120.62 per tablet depending on the manufacturer.
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The price caps apply to specific formulations, strengths and manufacturers listed in the notification, and companies are required to adhere to them. Manufacturers may add GST only if it is actually payable, and must issue updated price lists, while retailers are required to display them so that consumers can check prices at the point of sale.
The order also provides for recovery of any overcharged amount along with interest in case of non-compliance, and states that earlier price orders for these formulations stand superseded by the latest notification.
New Delhi: Patients buying medicines for chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, as well as certain hormone-related treatments, will now be protected by price caps after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) fixed retail prices of 42 formulations in its latest order.
Issued under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, the drug pricing regulator's notification sets per-unit ceiling prices for these drugs, placing an upper limit on what can be charged at pharmacies, excluding GST.
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The list is dominated by fixed-dose combinations used in long-term treatment. Cholesterol-lowering therapies such as atorvastatin with ezetimibe have been capped between ₹21.36 and ₹32.46 per tablet, while gliclazide with metformin, prescribed for diabetes, has been fixed at ₹10.53 per tablet. Antibiotic combinations like cefixime with potassium clavulanate have been priced at ₹25 per tablet.
Alongside these, the order also includes a higher-priced combination of relugolix, estradiol and norethindrone acetate, used in hormone-related conditions, which has been capped in the range of ₹107.22 to ₹120.62 per tablet depending on the manufacturer.
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The price caps apply to specific formulations, strengths and manufacturers listed in the notification, and companies are required to adhere to them. Manufacturers may add GST only if it is actually payable, and must issue updated price lists, while retailers are required to display them so that consumers can check prices at the point of sale.
The order also provides for recovery of any overcharged amount along with interest in case of non-compliance, and states that earlier price orders for these formulations stand superseded by the latest notification.