Falling Cost Of Diabetes Drugs May Make Modern Treatment Affordable: Study
24 Sept 2026 10:46 AM IST24 Sept 2026 10:46 AM IST
As diabetes affects millions of people in India, the falling cost of diabetes drugs is likely to make modern treatment affordable in future, according to a study by researchers at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).
Representational Image
Chennai: As diabetes affects millions of people in India, the falling cost of diabetes drugs is likely to make modern treatment affordable in the future, according to a study by researchers at the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).
The paper, published in Diabetes Care, the journal of the American Diabetes Association, examines how India has brought down the prices of newer diabetes medicines through a combination of government policies, price regulation, domestic manufacturing and competition among pharmaceutical companies.
For patients, the difference can be substantial. The researchers found that prices of several SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists in India have fallen by around 60 per cent to 90 per cent after patent expiry. Insulin biosimilars are also available at lower prices, while prices of some Indian generic medicines were found to be 15 to 65 times lower than US list prices.
The findings are significant because the cost of medicines can determine whether patients are able to remain on treatment over the long term. Diabetes generally requires continuing medical care, making the affordability of medicines an important public-health issue rather than a one-time expense.
''Globally, an estimated 589 million adults aged 20 to 79 are living with diabetes. At least 81 per cent of them are in low- and middle-income countries,'' according to figures cited in the paper. As newer therapies become available, ensuring that they reach patients at affordable prices is becoming an increasing challenge.
“Modern diabetes medicines, which were once considered unaffordable for large sections of society, can become much more accessible through the right combination of government policy, pharmaceutical manufacturing and competition,” said Dr V. Mohan, chairman, MDRF and one of the authors of the study.
The researchers point to India's pharmaceutical manufacturing base and the availability of multiple generic manufacturers as important factors behind lower prices. Government initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat and the Jan Aushadhi Scheme have also contributed to healthcare and medicine access among poorer and vulnerable sections, the paper said.
However, lower prices alone do not guarantee access to treatment. The authors stressed the need to ensure that medicines are available where patients need them, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The availability of multiple generic manufacturers could also make quality control and consistency important, the researchers noted.
For patients, the difference can be substantial. The researchers found that prices of several SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists in India have fallen by around 60 per cent to 90 per cent after patent expiry. Insulin biosimilars are also available at lower prices, while prices of some Indian generic medicines were found to be 15 to 65 times lower than US list prices.
The findings are significant because the cost of medicines can determine whether patients are able to remain on treatment over the long term. Diabetes generally requires continuing medical care, making the affordability of medicines an important public-health issue rather than a one-time expense.
''Globally, an estimated 589 million adults aged 20 to 79 are living with diabetes. At least 81 per cent of them are in low- and middle-income countries,'' according to figures cited in the paper. As newer therapies become available, ensuring that they reach patients at affordable prices is becoming an increasing challenge.
“Modern diabetes medicines, which were once considered unaffordable for large sections of society, can become much more accessible through the right combination of government policy, pharmaceutical manufacturing and competition,” said Dr V. Mohan, chairman, MDRF and one of the authors of the study.
The researchers point to India's pharmaceutical manufacturing base and the availability of multiple generic manufacturers as important factors behind lower prices. Government initiatives such as Ayushman Bharat and the Jan Aushadhi Scheme have also contributed to healthcare and medicine access among poorer and vulnerable sections, the paper said.
However, lower prices alone do not guarantee access to treatment. The authors stressed the need to ensure that medicines are available where patients need them, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
The availability of multiple generic manufacturers could also make quality control and consistency important, the researchers noted.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
Next Story