About NPPA

• The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority was established in 1997 as an independent body of experts to regulate the pricing of drugs.
• It has been constituted as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers.
• The Authority has been entrusted with the task of 
  • Fixation/revision of prices of pharmaceutical products (bulk drugs and formulations), 
  • Enforcement of provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO). 
  • Monitoring of the prices of controlled and decontrolled drugs in the country.
• The NPPA currently fixes prices of drugs placed in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) under Schedule-I of the DPCO. 
• Non-scheduled drugs are allowed an increase of up to 10 per cent in prices every year, which is monitored by the NPPA.
• NPPA can also fix the price for non-scheduled drugs by invoking extraordinary powers in public interest, under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.

Why in News?

• Drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has fixed the ceiling prices for 12 anti-diabetic generic medicines, including glimepiride tablets, glucose injection and intermediate acting insulin solution.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/nppa-fixes-price-caps-for-12-anti-diabetic-medicines/article37168184.ece