Rising prices of raw material, transport and packaging makes medicines expensive

Aurangabad, Nov 27:

In the shadow of rising inflation, including fuel and gas prices, paracetamol and pneumococcal drugs, which are used as raw materials in all types of pills and syrups have become 30 to 40 per cent more expensive, while some medicines for diabetes and heart disease and high blood pressure become cheaper by 5 to 8 per cent.

Imports and exports remained closed for several months. The situation did not improve in many countries. The huge increase in fares for containers and shipments has also affected all imports. Aurangabad district has a large number of pharmaceutical factories. These factories require paracetamol and pneumococcal drugs as raw materials for the drugs they manufacture. The country has to depend on China for imports.

After corona, the availability of these raw materials has decreased and the prices of the goods available have skyrocketed. In India, the price of fuel has gone up to Rs 110. The freight services have become expensive by 10 per cent. Likewise, packaging materials became more expensive by 20 per cent. As a result, drug prices have risen by 30 to 40 per cent. But as medicines for heart disease and diabetes are under Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) they have become cheaper. However, medicines for cold, fever, cough, headache and body ache have become expensive.

Government should reduce GST on medicines

The prices of medicines have gone up by 30 to 40 per cent due to the huge increase in transportation and packaging costs. Meanwhile, the government needs to reduce GST on drugs and MRP on generic drugs. So that the medicine can become cheaper, said members of the chemists and druggist association.