The government has fixed retail prices for 3,845 new medicines and ceiling prices for 935 scheduled drug formulations as of July 23, 2026, to help keep essential medicines affordable, Parliament was informed.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) regulates prices of medicines listed under the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), which currently includes 388 drugs. For non-scheduled medicines, manufacturers cannot raise the maximum retail price by more than 10% within 12 months.
The government said the NPPA regularly reviews medicine prices and availability, and can intervene under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, to ensure affordability and act in the public interest when needed.
Officials also monitor pricing compliance and take action against companies found overcharging consumers through inspections, market reports, and public complaints. The government highlighted initiatives such as the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, AB-PMJAY, and the National Health Mission’s Free Drugs Service Initiative to improve access to affordable medicines.