present In India, the price of weight loss medicine Ozempic and Vigobi is around Rs 10 lakh per month. This injection should be given once a week. Due to this medicine, the satisfaction hormone is activated within the body and people feel less hungry. As a result, weight loss begins. Nowadays, a medicine that costs Rs 10,000 in India is beyond the reach of most people. But the patent of the foreign company Novo Nordisk that manufactured this drug has expired in many countries, including India, China, Canada, and Brazil. So, this medicine will now be available for around Rs 500. Reducing the prices of obesity drugs will have far-reaching implications because India has the largest number of people suffering from diabetes and obesity in the world.

A great relief for the general public
Making weight-loss drugs cheaper could be a milestone for countries like India, says Dr Paras Agarwal, clinical director of diabetes, obesity and metabolic disorders at Marengo Asia Hospital, Gurugram. Obesity is rapidly increasing in India and obesity is the gateway to many diseases. Not only that, we are called the diabetes capital of the world. About 10 crore people suffer from diabetes. The good thing is that this medicine has magical effects for both diseases. Therefore, I would like to thank the government with all my heart for revoking the patent rights for this drug so quickly. This brought great relief. Now it will become very easy for common people to control obesity.

What a game changer that would be.
Dr Paras Agarwal said that spending Rs 10,000 a month on medicines in India is a lot. Even so, people still don’t understand that obesity is a disease. In such a situation, most people do not take medications to reduce obesity. Now when the price of this medicine comes down, the awareness among the general public will increase. These people will also come to the doctor to take this medicine. Currently, some people who come to us for obesity treatment have questions about the cost of medication. Some people receive treatment for a month or two and then leave it. In such a situation, a cheap drug will prove to be a game-changer for us. About 40 percent of adults in India suffer from obesity. Therefore, the impact that reducing the price of the drug will have can be understood.

What will the price be now?
At present, the cost of Ozempic or Vigobi injections ranges from 5 to 20 thousand rupees per month. Monthly expenditure depends on the dosage of the drug. If a person is getting a high dose of injection, he has to spend more money for it. Some people need a low dose. Therefore, the work can be completed even within the range of 2 to 5 thousand rupees per month. This injection should be given once a week. But it is this doctor who decides how long the treatment will last. This continues for at least 6 months. If we look at this way, after the patent is removed, competition between pharmaceutical companies will increase in the market and everyone will try to take the lead in making cheap medicines. So far, 40 companies have applied to manufacture this drug. Because of the removal of the patent, drug prices will decrease by 80 to 90 percent. In such a case, the monthly expenditure can be Rs 500.

India has experience in making generic medicines
India has experience in making generic medicines. India already produces generic medicines under 60,000 brand names. India enjoys dominance in global markets in generic drug manufacturing. We supply generic medicines to more than 200 countries. India produces 20 percent of the world’s generic medicines. This is why India is also called the pharmacy of the world. Two decades ago, Indian pharmaceutical companies were making generic drugs for HIV/AIDS. This drug revolutionized the eradication of AIDS throughout Africa. India exports generic medicines worth $30.46 billion. Generic weight loss drugs made in India will also go to global markets. Therefore, the benefit of lifting the drug patent will not only be available to the people of India but also to the entire world.