These emergency-use medicines may get cheaper as govt fixes ceiling price

The ceiling prices of four emergency-use medicines have been fixed by the government, which means manufactures currently selling them for higher will have to lower the amount they charge.

An employee sorts medicines in a medicine wholesale shop in Lucknow, India, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025 (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)(AP)

According to a Times of India report, four emergency-use medicines -- Ipratropium, Sodium Nitroprusside, Diltiazem and Povidone Iodine, have fixed ceiling prices now, and the retail prices of 37 other drug formulations have also been fixed.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has reportedly said that manufacturers selling these branded or generic medicines will have to reduce the pricing if the current rate exceeds the ceiling price (plus GST).

Ipratropium, usually used to treat pulmonary diseases and for asthma, shortness of breath or runny nose, etc has been fixed at ₹2.96 per ml. Sodium nitroprusside, used for heart-related ailments and to lower dangerously shot up blood pressure, has been fixed at ₹28.99 per ml.

Diltiazem, another medicine used to control high blood pressure, and chest pain, has been capped at ₹26.72 per capsule. The last emergency-use medicine is Povidone Iodine, used to treat skin disinfection before and after surgeries or minor wounds, and has been capped at ₹6.26 per gram, the TOI report further added.

Besides, the retail prices of 37 drugs from companies has been fixed, including antibiotics and painkillers.

"Manufacturers selling branded or generic or both versions of the medicines at a price higher than ceiling price (plus GST) shall revise the prices downward not exceeding the ceiling price...," the publication quoted the NPPA as saying.

Meanwhile, those already selling the medicines at a price lower than the cap can continue to do so.