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- National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority(NPPA) has decided to allow knee implant companies to increase the maximum retail price(MRP) of their products by not more than 10% in 2019.
- Knee implants are devices used to replace parts of damaged knee joints in patients.
- This development comes two years after the NPPA had first slashed MRPs of knee implants by up to 69% using extraordinary powers granted under the country’s drug pricing regulations.
- Following a review of this decision in August 2018,the NPPA had decided to extend the capped ceiling price for another year.
- However,the extension was granted despite knee implants being classified as a non-scheduled medical device for which the Drugs (Prices Control) Order,2013 permits an annual price increase of up to 10%.
- NPPA is an independent body set up in 1997 under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
- The functions of NPPA are:(a)To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (b)Deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority (c) To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages and (d)To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports,profitability of companies for bulk drugs and formulation.
