Nepal to Hold Drug Advisory Council Meeting Within a Week to Review Medicine Prices

Health and Food Safety Minister Nisha Mehta has announced that the government will convene a meeting of the Drug Advisory Council within a week to move forward with medicine price adjustments and improve the availability of essential drugs.

Responding to lawmakers in the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Mehta said the government was also preparing to introduce an automatic pricing system to ensure a sustainable supply of medicines.

She acknowledged concerns over shortages of key cancer drugs, including Cisplatin, Carboplatin and Oxaliplatin, saying the ministry was treating the issue as a priority. According to the minister, prices of many essential medicines have not been revised for more than a decade, while disruptions in global supply chains have contributed to shortages in the domestic market.

The government aims to address the long-term supply challenge through a new pricing mechanism and policy reforms, she added.