All generic pharmaceutical companies, including Ranbaxy Laboratories, Cipla, Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Lupin, Glenmark and Torrent Pharma, might soon have to pay a fee to the US drug regulator when they seek its permission to sell their products there.

America is the world’s largest drug market. A Generic Drug User Fee Act is on the way, to enable the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to levy a user fee of around $100,000 on each generic drug application filed for approval, it is learnt. The new norms are likely to be introduced from October.