New Delhi, Feb. 11 -- The sale of medicines used to treat respiratory ailments increased sharply between 2024 and 2025, indicating a sustained rise in demand for drugs prescribed for conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and allergies, the government told Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Figures based on data from the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), show that the total sales value of respiratory system medicines for the month of December rose from Rs.17,199.40 crore in 2024 to Rs.18,912.64 crore in 2025, marking an increase of over Rs.1,700 crore within a year. In its written reply to Parliament, the government said that air pollution is a "major triggering factor for respiratory illnesses". The re...