While prices have increased for three formulations, for 11 others there has been a downward revision. Price has been fixed for the first time in case of three tablets manufactured by Themis Chemicals Ltd. The revision has benefitted Hoechst Marion Roussel as the price of its Soframycin skin creams has gone up by 8-10 per cent. Price of the 20 gram tube has increased from Rs 16.52 to Rs 17.84 while price of the 100 gram tube has shot up to Rs 72.90 from the current price of Rs 66.27.

Manufacturers of streptomycin fsulphate penicillin injections also stand to gain as the price of the 20 ml dose has increased by 4 per cent from Rs 26.86 to Rs 27.94.

The sharpest drop of 21.12 per cent has been brought about in the case of trimethoprim (180mg) sulphamethoxazole (800 mg) tablet. Price of pentazocine injections has also gone down by 12.4 per cent. Price of ultorx tablet manufactured by Ethnor Ltd has gone down by 5.47 per cent while the price of supristol tablet, which is a product of German Remedies, has gone down by 2 per cent.

According to an official release, the prices have been revised in accordance with provisionsof the Drugs Price Control Order (DPCO) and as per the established criteria and guidelines. The revised prices would become effective within 15 days from the receipt of the order of the NPPA.

According to the provisions of the DPCO, the revised price list is to be furnished by the manufacturer concerned to the government and the NPPA, State Drug Control Authorities and also to distributors, wholesalers and other agents.

The revised prices are also available on the NPPA's web-site www.nppaindia.com.