Kuwait lowers prices of over 1,600 medicines

KUWAIT CITY: The Kuwait Ministry of Health has announced a significant reduction in the prices of 1,654 medications and pharmaceutical products spanning from May 2024 to December 2025.

In an official statement, the ministry emphasized that this initiative positions drug prices in Kuwait as the lowest among Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The move is aimed at reducing overall healthcare costs for both citizens and residents.

This announcement reflects the ministry’s ongoing efforts to periodically review and adjust medicine prices, ensuring affordability while maintaining access to essential treatments.

Previous actions in 2024 and 2025 included multiple rounds of price cuts (e.g., up to 60-78% on hundreds of drugs) and approvals for new medicines at competitive rates.

Last year as well, Kuwait’s Ministry of Health has reiterated its dedication to implementing the decisions of the Gulf Health Council’s Gulf Drug Pricing Committee, emphasizing the need for a balance between affordable medication prices and support for the local pharmaceutical industry.

In a statement issued, the Kuwaiti ministry highlighted that the Drug Pricing Committee is responsible for reducing the prices of medicines based on studies conducted by the Drug Pricing Department within the Drug Control Sector.

The ministry explained that drug price reductions are primarily driven by the expiration of patents for innovative drugs, which causes prices to drop by 30 to 80 percent, depending on the drug type and country. The increasing availability of non-innovative generic drugs and therapeutic alternatives in the local market has further increased competition, driving down prices.

The statement also emphasized that the goal of reducing drug prices is to meet the needs of Kuwaiti citizens and expats, providing them with medicines at reasonable prices, easing financial burdens on patients, and lowering medical costs for visitors.

The ministry clarified that the drug pricing process takes into account various factors, including expenditures on clinical trials, research and development, manufacturing, packaging, transportation, storage, and the use of technology in the pharmaceutical industry.

This approach allows for the creation of flexible pricing models, market data evaluation, and enhancement of the supply chain.