The Ministry of Health said in a press statement that the decree covers a wide array of therapeutic categories including cancer medications modern cholesterol-lowering drugs epilepsy treatments allergy and pain relief antibiotics antifungals and aids to quit smoking. This latest round of adjustments follows technical reviews and periodic price studies that benchmarked local figures against reference markets as well as internationally and regionally approved standards. The ministry added that the comparisons help maintain competitiveness while securing fair pricing for patients across the country.
A series of earlier actions documented by the Kuwait News Agency illustrates the scale of the ongoing policy with an August 2025 ministerial decision cutting prices on 544 drugs and medical products by as much as 78.5 percent. That round which included treatments for cancer diabetes hypertension and asthma also set 144 items at the lowest prices in the Gulf according to the news agency report from that period. The ministry has pursued similar reviews in subsequent months including a May 2026 announcement that addressed nearly 1,922 medicines and supplements the Kuwait News Agency and other outlets reported at the time.
The Ministry of Health stated that the cumulative total of 2,760 medications and pharmaceutical products now subject to pricing decisions and reductions over three years stands as the lowest among GCC countries. This figure reflects successive decrees that have steadily expanded the list of adjusted items the ministry noted in its statement. Officials indicated the policy balances the provision of high-quality effective medicines with appropriate costs for both citizens and residents.
Price setting under the latest decree relied on established methodologies that incorporate data from reference markets and approved standards the Ministry of Health explained. The ministry affirmed that all changes resulted from its medicine quotation committee evaluations conducted at regular intervals. Such reviews form a core element of national policy aimed at promoting economic efficiency within the health sector according to the statement.
The ministerial decree issued on August 27 takes effect immediately upon publication in the official gazette the Ministry of Health reported. Pharmacies and health facilities throughout Kuwait will implement the new lower prices for the listed items. The authority indicated it will continue monitoring market conditions to inform any future adjustments in pharmaceutical pricing.
Earlier Kuwait News Agency dispatches show the ministry has maintained a consistent pace of reviews since 2024 with multiple rounds targeting chronic-disease treatments and essential antibiotics. These efforts have focused on ensuring availability of advanced therapies while containing costs for the large expatriate population that relies on private-sector pharmacies. The Ministry of Health has described the approach as part of broader work to sustain the national healthcare system through periodic repricing.
