The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority on Sunday said it had lowered the price of medicines to treat cancer by 13% to 86% in the past year. There has been a “significant reduction in cancer drug prices since March 2016”, the regulator said on Twitter.
The highest reduction of 86% was in the price of AstraZeneca Pharma India’s Iressa – it now costs Rs 3,977 from Rs 29,259 earlier. The price of Grafeel, manufactured by Dr Reddy’s laboratories, was slashed by 41%. The company’s Levin drug also saw a 25% reduction in its cost.
Over the year, the NPPA also brought down the cost of cancer drugs manufactured by Natco Pharma, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Dabur India, RPG Life Sciences, Intas Pharmaceuticals and Fresenius Kabi India, among others.
Moreover, the regulator announced that it had slashed the prices of drugs to treat diabetes, as well. Since March 2016, the prices of these drugs were lowered by 10% to 42%, with the Sun Pharma-made Glypride seeing the highest cut from Rs 91 to Rs 53. The prices of Dr Reddy’s Glimy, Abott India’s Obimet, Lupin’s Gluconorm and Sanofi India’s Cetapin were also revised down.
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