From antibiotics to painkillers, these medicines to get expensive from today

The government is poised to enact the largest annual price hike for essential medicines, projecting a surge of 12 percent starting April 1, 2024 (today). More than 1,000 formulations of essential medicines and 384 drugs are expected to experience price increases. This escalation is mainly attributed to a notable uptick in the Wholesale Price Index (WPI), which rose to 12.12 percent between January 2023 and the present year. Essential medicines, also referred to as essential drugs, hold significant importance in various government health initiatives and are directly available to retail consumers.

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Rapid Surge in Essential Medicine Prices Expected for Second Consecutive Year

Officials from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority have confirmed the sharp increase in WPI, citing data from the office of the economic adviser in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. For the second consecutive year, the prices of essential medicines are set to increase by more than 10 per cent. Last year saw a hike of approximately 11 per cent in the prices of these drugs.

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The list encompasses almost all indispensable medicines, ranging from those essential for COVID-19 management to items like ORS and disinfectants. This surge in medicine prices is poised to have a significant impact on people’s budgets.

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List of medicines to be costlier from today:

• Pain killers: Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, Mefenamic acid, Paracetmol, Morphine 
• Anti-TB medicine: Amikacin, Bedaquiline, Clarithromycin, etc.
• Anticonvulsants: Clobazam, Diazepam, Lorazepam
• Antidotes in Poisoning: Activated Charcoal, D-Penicillamine, Nalaxone, Snake venom antiserum
• Antibiotics: Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, Benzylpenicillin, Cefadroxil, Cefazolin, Ceftriaxone
• Covid management medicines
• Anaemia medicines: Folic Acid, Iron Sucrose, Hydroxocobalamin, etc.
• Parkinsons and Dementia: Flunarizine, Propranolol, Donepezil
• HIV management medicines: Abacavir, Lamivudine, Zidovudine, Efavirenz, Nevirapine, Raltegravir, Dolutegravir, Ritonavir, etc.
• Antifungal: Clotrimazole, Fluconazole, Mupirocin, Nystatin, Terbinafine, etc.
• Cardiovascular medicines: Dilitazem, Metoprolol, Digoxin, Verapramil, Amlodipine, Ramipril, Telmisarten, etc.
• Dermatological medicines
• Plasma and Plasma substitutes
• Antiviral medicines: Acyclovir, Valganciclovir, etc.
• Malaria medicines: Artesunate, Artemether, Chloroquine, Clindamycin, Quinine, Primaquine, etc.
• Cancer treatment medicines: 5-Fluorouracil, Actinomycin D, All-trans retinoic acid, Arsenic trioxide, Calcium folinate, etc.
• Antiseptics and Disinfectants: Chlorohexidine, Ethyl Alcohol, Hydrogen peroxide, Povidine iodine, Potassium permanganate, etc.
• General anaesthetics and oxygen medicines like Halothane, Isoflurane, Ketamine, Nitrous oxide, etc.

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