{
  "id": 10603376,
  "title": "Why rare-disease drugs could become India’s next pharma frontier",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/why-rare-disease-drugs-could-become-indias-next-pharma-frontier",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-09-29T04:03:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu - Sci-Tech",
    "slug": "the-hindu-sci-tech",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/rare-disease-drugs-could-become-indias-next-pharma-frontier/article71518560.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rare diseases are quite uncommon, but there are over 8,000 such diseases globally, impacting hundreds of millions. India reports 1,004 rare genetic disorders. Early on, the small patient base made drug development unattractive to pharmaceutical companies, earning them the label \"orphan drugs.\" However, governments worldwide have taken steps to incentivize rare-disease drug development, including tax credits, market exclusivity, and grants. This has led to a surge in approvals – from 38 in the U.S. pre-Orphan Drug Act to 1,122 by 2022. High costs, often exceeding $100,000 per year, limit access, prompting crowdfunding efforts. India offers up to Rs 50 lakh in support, but this often falls short. Most rare-disease drugs target only 5% of cases, leaving many without adequate treatment. Developing orphan drugs involves hurdles like finding patient cohorts for trials and establishing endpoints. India's large population and high rates of endogamy create opportunities for patient advocacy and more localized rare-disease prevalence. Foreign drug companies can collaborate with local organizations for clinical trials and manufacturing. Yet, Indian patients have not traditionally participated in international trials. The government could encourage this by partnering with foreign companies, similar to its approach in chip manufacturing. Additionally, setting drug prices within India or the Global South could encourage local access to these expensive treatments.",
  "summary": "Since India has already shown the world how to make drugs affordable, the next challenge is to show the world how to make rare-disease drugs accessible; with a streamlined regulatory pathway, appropriate financial incentives, and government procurement, India could build a globally competitive rare-disease pharmaceutical sector",
  "key_points": [
    "India has over 1,004 rare genetic disorders.",
    "Rare-disease drugs are expensive, often exceeding $100,000 per year.",
    "India's large population and endogamy create opportunities for patient advocacy."
  ],
  "editors_take": "India's large population and high rates of endogamy may make it an attractive location for developing rare-disease drugs, potentially increasing access to treatments for patients with limited options.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "Why rare-disease drugs could become India’s next pharma frontier",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/why-rare-disease-drugs-could-become-indias-next-pharma-frontier-10610111",
        "published": "2026-09-29T04:03:05.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}