The Public Health Ministry is negotiating with pharmaceuticsal companies to lower the prices of hundreds of drugs used in medications.
Public Health Minister Pradit Sintawanarong said a committee regulating the medical management system and medical service fees had asked pharmaceutical firms to cut the prices of 774 types of medicines.
The discounts would save the state about 1.8 billion baht a year for state healthcare schemes.
In particular, the price of glucosamine will be three times cheaper with 250 mg of the medicine costing no more than 3 baht; 500mg, no more than 5 baht; and 1,500mg, no more than 15 baht.
This will cut the cost to the state of buying the medicine to just 300-400 million baht a year, compared to 900 million baht previously, Dr Pradit said.
He said the next move will be to regulate medicines which reduce the levels of fat in the bloodstream, which cost the state about 200-300 million baht a year.