New Delhi: Unique Discussion – Therapeutics Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is cheap in Pakistan and China. Why can’t we help people suffering from this rare obstacle – On Friday, the Supreme Court’s Supreme Court convinced them to seek responses from the drug maker Centre and global pharma giant Roche.
Anand Glover, who appeared in Seba, 24, spoke to the bench of CJI Sanjiv Khanna and the bench of Sanjay Kumar and KV Viswanathan, Hoffman Roche, who makes patented oral medicine, Lisdipuram (Evrysdi). “The prices of drugs for SMA patients are available at cheaper prices in Pakistan and China due to government intervention in those countries. Why can’t the Indian government negotiate with manufacturers to lower prices or produce it as a generic drug to reduce the outrageous costs of treatment,” he said.
In India, the cost of a bottle of Lisdipuram is 6.2 rakh, but in Pakistan it costs Rs 41,000 per bottle and in China it costs Rs 44,692. On August 17, 2023, TOI published a news report on Roche’s rare disease treatments, which cost up to 15 times more in India than its neighboring countries. The bench issued a notice to Roche and asked the Centre to take that position in creating medications to treat SMA cheaply in India. Understanding the urgency associated with the incident will help save many SMA patients from certain deaths in the near future, the bench posted more questions for hearing next week.
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“In India, there may be thousands of families whose patients are affected by the disease. Due to the lack of infrastructure, the disease remains undetectable,” Glover said in urgent intervention from SCs that can save thousands of patients.
