Best known for slashing, India's NPPA raises 21 prices

India's drug price regulator, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), has raised the ceiling price of 21 essential medicines by 50%.

This is the first time the NPPA, which is known to slash prices of essential and life-saving medicines, is increasing prices in public interest so as to prevent patients opting for costlier alternatives given the shortage of these drugs.

Most of these drugs are used as first-line of treatment. The decision by the NPPA apples to formulations like the BCG vaccine for tuberculosis, vitamin C, antibiotics like metronidazole and benzylpenicillin, anti-malarial drug chloroquine, leprosy medication dapsone, among others.