When the Lebanese State proves its effectiveness

On March 23, 2018, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health issued a list of major price reductions for certain drugs. It lowered the cost of some drugs by 18% to 74%. For instance:

• The price of KADCYLA (160 mg), a drug for breast cancer treatment, has been reduced from LBP 5,456,182 to LBP 3,769,829.
•  The price of PAMIDRIA 30 INJ, a drug for the treatment of high calcium levels in the blood, has been reduced from LBP 105,321 to LBP 76,264.
•  The price of SILOSIN (8 mg), a drug for the treatment of urination problems, has been reduced from LBP 74,006 to LBP 54,066.
•  The price of GENVOYA, a drug for the treatment of HIV infection, has been reduced from LBP 2,428,370 to LBP 1,820,627.

So the question is how drug sellers have managed to impose high prices on citizens for so long. The Ministry of Public Health has done a remarkable job of showing how the State can be effective.