Unbridling box office power in the healthcare space has just commenced. A Chinese social comedy film named ‘Dying to Survive’, released onJuly 05, 2018, sparked off public concern on high priced cancer drugs in China.The film depictsa real-life, heart wrecking story of a leukemia patient’s struggle for survival by asking a drug dealer to smuggle illegal cheap drugs from India into China. The medicine trader later finds his redemption, and becomes a hero saving more patients – as the China Internet Information Center in Beijing reported.
Consequently, reacting to public outcry for cheaper cancer drugs in China, the country’s all-powerful health insurance administration is, reportedly, aiming to deepen discounts on cancer drugs, which are already on its National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). The effort – as the report says, would use public bidding and procurement, specifically for cancer therapies. Meanwhile, officials will start enlistment negotiations for treatments not yet included on the coverage list.
Nearer home, responding to a similar public concern, although not a film-induced one, Indian Government announced a major relief for cancer patients. In March 2017, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) slashed prices of some cancer drugs by up to 86 percent, as reported in the media. For example, the price of AstraZeneca’s lung cancer drug – was brought down from Rs 29,259, to Rs 3,977. This could well be an off the cuff approach. Nevertheless, the Chairman of NPPA assured that more cancer drugs will soon come under price control. That said, if with such degree of price reduction, all the above brands can still survive, it may not be difficult for many to fathom what factor really drives the cancer drug pricing models of the drug makers? …continue reading
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