New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS): The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on Tuesday fixed the ceiling prices for 12 anti-diabetic generic medicines.

In a tweet, the NPPA said: "To make it possible for every Indian to afford medical treatment against diseases like diabetes, NPPA has initiated a successful step by fixing the ceiling prices of 12 anti-diabetic generic medicines."

The medicines whose prices have been capped include glimepiride tablet of strength 1 mg, with ceiling price at Rs 3.6 per tablet, while that for 2 mg is Rs 5.72 per tablet.

The ceiling price of 1 ml glucose injection of 25 per cent strength has been fixed at 17 paise, while that of 1 ml of insulin (soluble) injection of strength 40IU/ml is Rs 15.09.

The NPPA further said that the ceiling price of metformin immediate release tablet of strength 500 mg has been fixed at Rs 1.51 per tablet, while that of 750 mg strength is at Rs 3.05 per tablet and 1,000 mg strength at Rs 3.61 per tablet.

The Central government had reduced the prices of 39 commonly used medicines amending the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) in September.

The antiviral, antibacterial, antiretroviral, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, anti-TB drugs and other drugs used in the treatment of Covid were in the National List of Essential Medicines when it was amended.