-The Hindu Business Line Through the ‘Sukrutham' scheme, the Kerala Government aims to take advanced cancer treatment to the poorest Kerala: "We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up or fight like hell," Lance Armstrong, champion cycle racer, who recovered from advanced testicular cancer once said about his battle against cancer. The American, fortunately, had the money to pay for the extremely expensive treatment. But, for the majority of 1.75 lakh...

-The Indian Express Prime Minister Narendra Modi's US visit is likely to throw up highly contentious intellectual property rights issues. Indeed, for the last several years, US drug majors and their European counterparts have lobbied hard to demonise the Indian patent regime. But the government must continue to defend the law and stand its ground. Particularly since our own industrial moguls have caved in and are less vocal about their opposition...

-PTI The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped the prices of 43 formulation packs including drugs such as the antibiotic ciprofloxacin, BCG vaccine and the anti-diabetic metformin. "The prices have been fixed / revised in respect of 43 formulation packs, both ceiling and retail price packs, under DPCO, 2013," NPPA said. According to the drug price regulator the manufacturers selling the 43 drugs at maximum retail price higher than the ceiling price...

-The Business Standard A ray of hope for Indian generic drug makers Gilead Sciences, the California-headquartered biotechnology company, has authorised seven India-based drug makers - Cipla, Ranbaxy, Mylan, Strides Arcolab, Hetero, Cadila Healthcare and Sequent Scientific - to manufacture and sell the generic versions of its hepatitis C medicine, Sovaldi, in 91 developing countries. Earlier in the week, Lupin, the fourth largest Indian drug maker, announced that it will develop and supply...

-The Business Standard NPPA to soon notify prices in line with new pharma pricing policy Some key cancer drugs, antibiotics and medicines to treat cardiovascular diseases and tuberculosis are set to become cheaper by up to 50 per cent within the next 45 days. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) will soon notify prices of as many as 150 packs of essential medicines in line with the new pharma pricing policy, according...