Kerala CM Defends Low-Cost SMA Medicine, Praises Health Department in Assembly

“What is wrong with selling medicines at a lower price to poor children?” Satheesan asked in the Kerala Assembly.

Questioning the Opposition’s objections, the Chief Minister highlighted the reduction in treatment costs, saying a 12-day supply of the medicine, which costs around Rs 6.5 lakh, is now available for Rs 15,000.

He congratulated Health Minister K. Muraleedharan and the department for facilitating access to the lower-cost treatment.

Medicine Labels Trigger Safety Concerns

The controversy erupted after packets of an Indian-made generic medicine supplied to children at Sree Avittom Thirunal (SAT) Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram were found carrying the labels “Physician Sample” and “For Clinical Trials Only”.

The labels raised concerns among parents, who questioned whether the medicine being administered to their children was intended for clinical trials.

Opposition leaders, including three former Health Ministers from the CPI(M), have questioned the medicine’s safety and the procedures followed for its procurement and distribution.

The state government has maintained that the generic formulation, manufactured by Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma and marketed under the brand name Natsmart, has expert backing and regulatory approval.

According to the Health Department, the disputed labels were present on sample stock supplied during a temporary shortage.

Government Says Affordable Treatment Will Continue

Health Minister K. Muraleedharan told the Assembly that Rs 50 crore remained outstanding in payments for medicines purchased during the previous Pinarayi Vijayan government’s tenure.

He said the government would continue providing the SMA medicine at a reduced price, arguing that lower costs would allow more children to access treatment.

The minister also criticised his opponents during the debate, making a pointed remark about appointing a minister’s daughter-in-law as a cook.

The dispute has developed into a major political controversy, with the Opposition seeking clarification over the medicine’s labelling and distribution, while the government has defended its efforts to reduce treatment costs.

SMA Treatment Remains a Major Financial Challenge

Spinal muscular atrophy is a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle weakness. Treatment can be prohibitively expensive, placing a substantial financial burden on affected families.

The government’s low-cost medicine initiative has therefore become central to the debate, alongside questions about the specific product supplied to patients, its regulatory status and the concerns raised by the labels.

The Opposition’s safety concerns and the government’s assurances remain at the centre of the ongoing dispute.