No. of views : (1873)
Retail price capped on cancer drug
Posted on: 16/May/2016 10:03:25 AM
The government has capped the price of the life saving drug trastuzumab at Rs. 55,800 per injection. The drug is used in patients suffering from breast cancer. The new cap makes it 25 percent lower than the innovator Roche’s drug Herceptin, which is priced at Rs. 75,000.
The NPPA, the drug pricing regulator, has fixed a ceiling on the drug for the first time. The regulator has also brought Pegylated Interferon which is used in cancer and Hepatitis C treatments under price control. The ceiling price has been fixed at Rs. 14,515 per 100 mcg.
These changes in prices will be with immediate effect. The NPPA has also fixed the retail price of 11 drugs which are mainly anti diabetic formulations. Biocon and Zydus Cadila have made copies of trastuzumab, which are available in the market. However, they are priced higher than the one capped by the government. Speaking about this, a senior executive of Biocon said, The move will benefit retail patients, and those who cannot procure the drug at a discounted rate, from a government (CGHS) or institutional scheme.
However, activists do not feel that the move will be very beneficial. They say, Pharma companies charge high premiums for branded biological medicines such as anticancer drug, trastuzumab to maximise profits. The current system devised by NPPA of fixing prices based on an average MRPs of the brands in the market works against patients and consumer interests and leaves essential medicines out of reach for most.The ceiling price for the breast cancer drug trastuzumab listed by the NPPA is Rs. 55812 for 440 mcg and does not bring any relief to patients and their families who are going into debt or going without the treatment due to the costs.
Post your requirement - We will connect with the right vendor or service provider
