The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has brought two key anti-diabetic drugs—Sitagliptin-Metformin combination and Linagliptin-Metformin combination—under price control. The two anti-diabetic drugs are among the 45 drug formulations whose retail prices have been fixed by India’s drug pricing authority.

The NPPAs move is aimed at passing on the benefit of the price reduction to consumers. At present, a blister pack (of 15 tablets) of Sitagliptin-Metformin combination costs about ₹345. The NPPA has reduced its price to the 16–21 per tablet range.

Earlier, an expert panel of NPPA had suggested that the prices of drugs that have gone off patent or are on the verge of becoming so, should be reduced. The retail price of a tablet of the combination of Paracetamol, Phenylephrine Hydrochloride, Caffeine, and Diphenhydramine Hydrochloride, has been fixed at Rs 3.73.