Essential drugs may cost up to 5% more, for now

Mumbai: The Centre is considering a proposal for a temporary 10-15% increase in the prices of select essential medicines to ease cost pressures faced by drugmakers, top industry executives aware of the discussions told ET.The immediate net consumer impact could be 3-5% higher prices, or roughly similar to what consumers paid before the late-September cuts in GST rates.Senior officials are understood to be evaluating the proposal after several top drugmakers raised concerns about the sharp increa...