The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) asked all manufacturers and marketers of medicines to re-fix the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for drugs that obtained customs duty waiver or cutbacks in the Union Budget 2025. With this move, the relief due to lowered import duties on lifesaving drugs percolates to the consumers.

Key Highlights
NPPA's Mandate on Price Revisions:

• The manufacturers will have to realign MRPs of 36 drugs which are now exempted from basic customs duty (BCD).

• Six more drugs have been added to the list and are now subject to a concessional customs duty of 5%.

Drugs Getting Full Customs Duty Exemption:
Medicines used for cancer, rare diseases, and chronic diseases have been exempted from BCD.

Some of the notable drugs include:

• Mepolizumab (treatment of severe asthma).

• Asciminib and Daratumumab (anticancer drugs).

Drugs Now Subject to 5% Concessional Customs Duty:

• Includes Brentuximab Vedotin (anti-cancer drug).

• Ocrelizumab, an important drug for multiple sclerosis, is included.

Budget Initiative for Healthcare Affordability:
Union Budget 2025 announced the same, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman laid stress on decreasing the cost of treatment for critical chronic diseases.

Regulatory Authorities' Statements:
NPPA Office Memorandum:
"Manufacturers have to rework MRPs of the listed drugs so that the benefit of customs duty cuts reaches the consumers directly."With the NPPA's order, pharmaceutical companies are likely to revise prices accordingly, rendering essential medicines cheaper for Indian patients. The action is in line with the government's objective of enhancing access to indispensable drugs while maintaining regulatory compliance in the pharma sector.