India firm shakes up cancer drug market with price cuts

"But in 2005, India brought its law in line with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules recognising 20-year patents, pushing up the prices of newly launched drugs.

Cipla, India’s fourth largest pharmaceutical company by sales, has been pressing the government to allow widespread use of “compulsory licences”, which are permitted under WTO rules.

The licences allow companies to make existing life-saving drugs to sell in countries where they are otherwise priced out of reach."

While product design is important, availability of a strong manufacturing supply chain is also important. India's role in pharma is similar to what China provides for regular manufacturing.

Of course it is. This has easily brought India trillions of dollars worth of benefits. Is there any benefit to India at all of paying billions of dollars per year to the United States for.... nothing?

There are huge obstacles to getting quality affordable health care in India. Costly drugs is one of them. But costly drugs isn't the problem, the problem is health insurance is an unknown aspect here even now to many ordinary middle class crowd.

In case of my relatives, despite being in a urban city like Bangalore. We had trouble getting right doctors. Both patients, and relatives like us around them are hugely ignorant of what to do in case of big health problems. And this plays to the doctors advantage.

The problem is there is a huge problem of capitation fee here. Students shell out ridiculous sums of money for even entry level MBBS courses. The net result is need to go for higher studies again to get a job in a god hospital or start their own clinic. By the time they do MBBS + Specialization course + Investments on clinics, they only way they can earn back that kind of money is by charging their patients ridiculously.

There a lot of doctors who ask patients to undergo needless tests, even for some very simple things like fever these days. Doctors and Test labs both get commissions for tests they do. Doctors and Pharmacy shops get commissions for selling drugs what the Drug companies ask them to sell. Its like a huge nexus which acts as a burden on our contry's medical spending. So you will see a lot of tests and drugs prescribed for no reason.

I have seen many Pharmacy Shops sell banned drugs. For example only recently did we know that a drug called Rosicon MF is a banned diabetic drug(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosiglitazone), but my mom was taking it even 6 months after the ban. Blame this both on Ignorant doctors and Pharmacy shops. Although by God's grace nothing has happened so far.

Another colleague of mine needs to his wife operated for Avascular Necrosis. It seems doctors here shouted on them when they discovered them doing pre research before the operation. And it turns out the doctors advised them a mode of operation, which requires a lot of post operative expenses, compared to other types which are better. Its things like this. I have myself faced the doctors wrath when they figure I am pre reading something about the disease while trying to help out a relative. Its almost like suffer at our hands or get lost kind of attitude.

Healthcare is like a huge business, where doctors look to maximize their profits by hook or crook. Patients are largely very anxious and ignorant of what is happening to them. Drugs are costly, Every one in the business is out there to make money at without much regard to the patient. Pharmacy shops, surgeons, physicians, specialist, Test Labs its all mad rush for money.

So drugs aren't really the only problem.

Oh! I am an Indian too.

Cost reduction is innovation too. Its like what Telecommunications companies have done to call rates here. Remember the days when getting a telephone connection required recommendation letters from ministers? These days you can get one for 100 rupees with a address proof in 20 minutes.

Pharmaceutical patents at most act like software patents sooner or later some one discovers them. But to act like 'I discovered first, so pay me eternally or suffer mercilessly and die' attitude will only do damage.

You are also right in the sense that we must incentivize research. But for that we need larger health care reforms especially in the areas of health insurance. Every Indian must have a means of affording health insurance and pay for quality health care. I like Narayana Hrudayalays's schemes in Bangalore, for farmers and alike.

Regarding when that will happen, your guess is as better as mine.