Medicines and costs: India.

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Medicines and costs: India

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/reach/medicines-and-costs

The same medicine can cost very different amounts depending on the version and how you pay. This sheet lists questions to ask and the official help where you live, in the box below.

Generic medicines

A generic has the same active ingredient as the brand-name medicine.
It must meet the regulator’s quality standards and usually costs less.
It may look different; ask the pharmacist if you are unsure.

Questions to ask

Is there a generic or lower-cost option that would suit me?
What will this cost before you fill it?
Is there public help or an exemption I might qualify for?

If you can’t afford it

Tell your prescriber or pharmacist before you stop or skip anything.
Check the official help listed below.
Keep receipts; some schemes count what you have already paid.

Buying safely

Only buy from a licensed pharmacy.
Avoid sellers that don’t ask for a prescription.
Only take medicines prescribed for you.

In India

Jan Aushadhi Kendras. Under the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, Jan Aushadhi Kendras sell quality generic medicines that the government says cost about 50% to 80% less than branded medicines. The scheme’s range covers all major therapeutic groups, such as heart, diabetes, cancer and anti-infective medicines.
Quality checks. Medicines for the scheme are bought only from manufacturers that follow the World Health Organization’s Good Manufacturing Practices, and each batch is tested at an NABL-accredited laboratory before it is sent to the Kendras. The government’s Jan Aushadhi Sugam app, free on Android and iOS, finds the nearest Kendra and compares prices with branded medicines.
Price ceilings. Medicines on the National List of Essential Medicines have ceiling prices fixed by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), and sellers must keep within them (plus GST). For other medicines, makers may not raise the maximum retail price by more than 10% in 12 months. Overcharging complaints can go through the Pharma Jan Samadhan portal or CPGRAMS.
Free medicines at public facilities. Under the National Health Mission’s Free Drugs Service Initiative, the central government supports states and union territories to provide essential medicines at public health facilities, from sub-health centres to district hospitals. AMRIT pharmacy stores in some hospitals sell medicines and implants at discounts of up to 50%.

Official places to check:

Press Information Bureau (Department of Pharmaceuticals): www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2241166&reg=3&lang=2
Press Information Bureau (Department of Pharmaceuticals): www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2236292&reg=3&lang=2
Press Information Bureau (Department of Pharmaceuticals): www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112308&reg=3&lang=2

More free official help in India: moraph.org/commons/help/health-access/in

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 20 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/reach/medicines-and-costs