Year: 2026 | Month: July-September | Volume: 11 | Issue: 3 | Pages: 341-349
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijshr.20260337
Regimen-Based Pharmacoeconomic Analysis of Jan Aushadhi Generic Medicines versus NPPA Ceiling Prices and Branded Equivalents across Five Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases in India
Rhythm1, Shubhangam Sharma2, Sameer Pandit3
1Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology,
Ram Krishna Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
2Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacology,
Ram Krishna Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India
3Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology,
D.L.N.P Govt Medical College, Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh, India
Corresponding Author: Dr. Rhythm
ABSTRACT
Background: Medicines are the second-largest component of current health expenditure in India, accounting for approximately 21% of current health expenditure in 2022–23, while out-of-pocket expenditure still constituted 43.4% of total health expenditure in the same year. This burden falls disproportionately on patients with chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) requiring lifelong pharmacotherapy.
Objective: To estimate the annual per-patient medication cost differences between Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) generics, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) ceiling prices and branded equivalents for index regimens across five chronic NCD categories, and to model potential population-level savings.
Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional pharmacoeconomic analysis of secondary, publicly available data. Index regimens for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), hypertension (HTN), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), asthma and hypothyroidism were defined with reference to current guidelines (2014–2026); regimen composition and consumption volumes were investigator-defined modelling assumptions. PMBJP prices were extracted by drug code from the PMBI Product Portfolio List; NPPA ceiling prices from the NPPA Updated Price List as on 11 June 2026 [S.O. 1575(E)/1581(E)]; branded maximum retail price (MRP) was the arithmetic mean of two to three leading brands from licensed online retail pharmacies.
Results: Annual PMBJP regimen costs ranged from ₹203 (hypothyroidism) to ₹4,860 (asthma). Savings versus branded MRP were 75.0% (T2DM), 75.1% (HTN), 72.3% (IHD), 63.7% (asthma) and 44.4% (hypothyroidism); savings versus NPPA ceiling prices ranged from 47.5% to 80.9%. Modelled potential savings at 20% uptake totalled ₹24,050 crore per year (₹21,126–₹24,050 crore across inhaler-use scenarios; ₹12,025–₹36,075 crore across 10–30% uptake).
Conclusion: For the index regimens modelled, PMBJP prices were consistently below both branded MRP and NPPA ceiling prices. Population-level figures are modelled potential savings under stated assumptions, not observed or expected real-world savings, and should be interpreted as indicative of the scale of opportunity rather than as forecasts.
Keywords: cost analysis; generic medicines; Jan Aushadhi; non-communicable diseases; PMBJP