After months of controversy, the Colombian government has unilaterally lowered the price of a Novartis cancer drug by 44 percent, the latest step in a closely watched and particularly heated battle over access to medicines and intellectual property rights.
The move, which had been expected, comes after Colombian Health Minister Alejandro Gaviria issued a “declaration of public interest.” This allows the government to take various steps to reduce the price of a medicine, and Gaviria argued the price cut is justified because the cost for Gleevec is out of reach for some citizens.
Unlock this article by subscribing to STAT Plus and enjoy your first 30 days free!
GET STARTEDWhat is it?
STAT Plus is STAT's premium subscription service for in-depth biotech, pharma, policy, and life science coverage and analysis. Our award-winning team covers news on Wall Street, policy developments in Washington, early science breakthroughs and clinical trial results, and health care disruption in Silicon Valley and beyond.
What's included?
- Daily reporting and analysis
- The most comprehensive industry coverage from a powerhouse team of reporters
- Subscriber-only newsletters
- Daily newsletters to brief you on the most important industry news of the day
- STAT+ Conversations
- Weekly opportunities to engage with our reporters and leading industry experts in live video conversations
- Exclusive industry events
- Premium access to subscriber-only networking events around the country
- The best reporters in the industry
- The most trusted and well-connected newsroom in the health care industry
- And much more
- Exclusive interviews with industry leaders, profiles, and premium tools, like our CRISPR Trackr.
About the Author Reprints
