Imagine a scenario where a life-saving medicine for HIV/AIDS costs $12,000 a year, pushing it out of reach for most patients who need it. Or a world where a rotavirus vaccine costs $9 per dose, making it too expensive for most children across the globe. Now, consider a reality where we radically bring down the cost of these essential therapeutics. This has actually happened – in 2001 HIV treatment was revolutionized by an Indian company CIPLA where a three-in-one HIV/AIDS treatment was made available for a dollar a day.
In 2013, Bharat Biotech, an Indian manufacturer of a new rotavirus vaccine has pledged to sell it for $1 a dose, even below the $2.50 per dose negotiated by the GAVI alliance. India’s pharma industry has been at the core of this public health revolution. By delivering high-quality generics at the lowest cost, India has become irreplaceable in delivering affordable…
