‘What is wrong with selling low-cost medicines to poor children?’; CM praises health department in assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Chief Minister V D Satheesan rejected the opposition’s allegations over the sale of Indian-made spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) medicine at reduced prices. Questioning the criticism in the assembly, he praised the health department and asked whether the opposition’s objection was to the price of a 12-day course of medicine being reduced from Rs 6.5 lakh to Rs 15,000.

Satheesan said the Indian-made medicine had even been approved by the Supreme Court and that there were no concerns regarding its quality. Health Minister K Muraleedharan also pointed out in the assembly that Rs 50 crore was still owed to pharmaceutical companies for medicines purchased during the tenure of the previous government. He said that SMA medicine would continue to be distributed at reduced prices in the coming days.