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Budget 2018 comes up this fortnight and healthcare stakeholders are keeping their fingers crossed that the Government will commit more funds to healthcare, a long-pending promise. The present spend is about one per cent of GDP and the intent is to increase that to 2.5 per cent by 2025, even that being too less given the rising incidence of increasing communicable and non-communicable diseases. The pharmaceutical industry is keen on greater support for research through tax incentives. In a competitive global landscape, drugmakers need to compete with the big boys with next-gen products. With last year seeing an expanded price control on medicines, price caps on stents and orthopaedic implants, the Budget will be watched for announcements that echo this pro-consumer sentiment in terms of promoting generic prescriptions, universal healthcare coverage or support for Jan Aushadhi.
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