Further Indian drug price cuts, and price control categorization likely

In order to make drugs more affordable to the country’s public, the Indian government is likely to hike the number of drugs that come under the category of essential drugs, and place them under the ambit of price control, reports The Pharma Letter's India correspondent. Once implemented, the move would effectively result in drug prices sliding by 10% to 15%.

The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM), a committee formed by India's Health Ministry, met this week to discuss the existing drug list under price control, and deliberated over bringing more drugs under its purview. While the review of drugs would cover all therapeutic areas, both multinational as well as domestic majors would have to bear another round of price cuts.

Massive slump in sales