Question : Price Rise of Paracetamol and Azithromycin

Will the Minister of CHEMICALS AND FERTILIZERS be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware of the fact that the price of paracetamol, the most commonly used analgesic has jumped by 40 per cent and the cost of azithromycin has risen by 70 per cent in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the reasons for sudden increase in the prices of these medicines; and
(d) the action taken by the Government to bring down the prices of these commonly used medicines and ensure regular and uninterrupted supply?

(a) to (d): The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has not received any reference regarding sudden increase in the price of paracetamol by 40 per cent and azithromycin by 70 per cent in the country. The All Indian Origin Chemists & Distributors Ltd. - Advanced Working, Action & Correction System (AIOCD AWACS) has reported increase in drug prices for month ending February, 2020 at 0.6 %. Further, the NPPA has issued D.O. dated 20.02.2020 to Chief Secretaries of all the States /UTs to monitor the production and availability of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API)s and their formulations to prevent black marketing and hoarding and to ensure price compliance as per the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013) under intimation to the NPPA.

The NPPA is monitoring the situation regularly to ensure that ceiling prices of essential medicines are not breached and are available uninterruptedly.

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