Providing a respite for cancer patients, the drug pricing regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has cut prices of some cancer drugs by up to a whopping 86%, reported Mumbai Mirror.
A senior doctor from Tata Memorial Hospital said, “It is a big relief for cancer patients. Patients admitted in Tata get medicines for free or at a discounted rate, as we buy branded medicines in bulk at a 50 to 80% discount, but for private patients it is always an expensive affair. There are several drugs, especially to treat leukemia, which the patient has to take for years. As they are often very expensive, patients often leave the treatment midway.”
Various cancer-related drugs have seen a major price cut. The price for a lung cancer drug called Iressa, manufactured by Astrazeneca Pharma India Limited has been slashed from Rs 29,259 to Rs 3,977. The price of a drug for cancer therapy–Biceltis, manufactured by Emcure Pharmaceutical, has been cut by over Rs 10,000. Price of chemotherapy drugs like Doceaqualip has been reduced from Rs 16,890 to Rs 10,560. Price of Dr Reddy’s tablet Levin used to treat blood cancer has been slashed by 25% too.
Leaving space for more good news, Bhupendra Singha, chairman of NPPA stated that more cancer drugs will come out soon.
He added, “Apart from cancer, important medicines used in the treatment of diabetes, bacterial infections and blood pressure have been capped by the government, thereby reducing the cost by an average of around 25 to 50%.” Since March 2016, prices of around 800 drugs have been slashed by the government.
