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RAS question

By what percentage have generic semaglutide prices reduced compared to the innovator drug in India?

Correct answer: (C) 70-90%.

Generic semaglutide prices in India have reduced by about 70-90% compared with the innovator drug.

  1. (A)

    30-50%

  2. (B)

    50-60%

  3. (C)

    70-90%

  4. (D)

    95-99%

Explanation

The key comparison is between Natco Pharma's generic semaglutide and Novo Nordisk's innovator semaglutide brands, Ozempic and Wegovy. Natco's starting price is Rs 1,290 per month, against Rs 8,800-16,400 for the innovator options. The Economic Times report confirms Natco's India launch at a starting price of Rs 1,290 per month and notes that the vial-based therapy is about 70% cheaper than pen devices and nearly 90% less expensive than the innovator's brand. That places the reduction squarely in the 70-90% range, not a modest 30-60% cut and not an almost-free 95-99% collapse.

Why the other options are wrong

  • (A) A 30-50% reduction understates the price fall, because Natco's generic discount is in the much steeper 70-90% band.
  • (B) A 50-60% reduction is still too low, since Natco's Rs 1,290 monthly starting price is described as about 70% cheaper than pen devices and nearly 90% below the innovator brand.
  • (D) A 95-99% reduction overstates the change; the reported figure is 70-90%, with nearly 90% below the innovator brand, not almost total price erosion.

Concept

This tests Science and Technology in current affairs through the public-health impact of generic drug entry after innovator exclusivity. It recurs in RAS because examiners often link pharmaceutical regulation, affordability and access to applied science topics.

Source

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