Health ministry cuts prices of 20 medicines.

ISLAMABAD -- The health ministry on Monday reduced the prices of 20 medicines, including those to treat cancer.

The revision in the maximum retail price by the Ministry of National Health Services (NHS) is expected to provide a relief of up to Rs75,000 per month to the patients.

The medicines include those used to treat lung cancer, breast cancer, HIV, blood clotting, blood pressure, eye infections, bone diseases, infertility in women and fungal infections.

According to a document available with Dawn, the price of 30 tablets of 150mg Tarceva has been reduced by 30 per cent. Now, it can not be sold at over Rs214,710.

The price of the 100mg variant of the medicine, used to treat non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer, has been capped at Rs172,320.

The price of 450mg Herceptin injection, administered to treat types of breast, oesophagal and stomach cancers, has been reduced by 30pc and set at Rs199,741.

Revision will provide up to Rs75,000 monthly relief to each patient

The maximum price of 60 tablets of Valcyte, to treat cytomegalovirus retinitis in people who have Acquired ImmunoAdefiAcieAncy Syndrome (AIDS), has been set at Rs116,165.

According to the document, the maximum price of 28 tablets of Xarelto, an anticoagulant medication used to treat and prevent blood clots, will be Rs4,810.

Similarly, 20 tablets of Co-Renitec cannot be sold at...