Get ready to pay more for medicines in coming days

Mumbai, Nov 22: You would have to pay more for some medicines in coming days. If reports are to believe the prices of some drugs meant for children, women and senior citizens would rise following ban on use of plastic bottles for packing of drug formulations (Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) containers).

The Government has restricted the use of PTA containers which was used in packaging of liquid oral formulations for paediatric, geriatric and reproductive healthcare from 2016, says a Times of India report.

President of Indian Drug Manufacturers have confirmed the news. He said that alternative for PET is glass and that its usage will include 25-30% of cost per bottle. He further said that one lakh metric tonnes of PET used in pharmaceuticals market will have to be replaced by 9 lakh metric tonnes of glass per year. He said this could lead to shortage of liquid medicines because of shortage of glass containers.

IDMA in its representation to the Union Health Ministry said that the small and medium pharmaceuticals firms would not be able to purchase glass bottles at higher prices which would further the shortage of the liquid medicines, says the report.

Plastic Convertors Manufacturers Association (PCMA), an association of plastics convertors said that the proposed ban will increase in the prices of liquid drugs.

OneIndia News