Ministry of Health reduces prices of 517 drugs and pharmaceutical products

Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi issued a ministerial decision to adopt and reduce the prices of 517 medicines and pharmaceutical preparations, making them the lowest in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The Ministry clarified that with the issuance of the new decision, the total number of medicines and pharmaceutical preparations covered by pricing and price reduction decisions over the past three years has risen to 2,760. This is part of a continuous approach aimed at balancing the provision of treatment with the required quality and efficacy, while ensuring fair and the lowest regional prices, thereby alleviating treatment burdens and enhancing the sustainability of the pharmaceutical system in the State of Kuwait.

The new list covers a wide range of therapeutic categories, including cancer treatment drugs, modern cholesterol-lowering medications, treatments for epilepsy and allergies, pain relievers, as well as antibiotics and antifungals, alongside medications that aid in smoking cessation.

The Ministry emphasized that the decision is based on technical reviews and periodic price studies, comparing them with reference markets and GCC and international standards, ensuring competitive and fair prices while maintaining pharmaceutical quality, efficacy, and safety standards. It further noted the ongoing development of drug pricing policies and the enhancement of the regulatory framework to ensure compliance with approved prices and stability in the local pharmaceutical market, supporting its efforts to consolidate pharmaceutical security, improve access to treatment, and reduce costs for patients and society.