Bring Guanfacine to India at an Affordable Price: Expand Treatment Options for ADHD
The Issue
To the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, CDSCO, NPPA, Department of Pharmaceuticals, medical associations, and Indian pharmaceutical companies.
The Petition.
The Petition
We urge the Government of India and pharmaceutical companies to facilitate the availability of guanfacine at an affordable price in India, giving patients and healthcare professionals access to an additional treatment option.
People with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental difficulties can have diverse cognitive, behavioural, and executive-function challenges. Unfortunately, not everyone responds well to commonly prescribed medications such as methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Some experience inadequate benefits or intolerable side effects, while others have coexisting cardiovascular, endocrine, sleep-related, or other medical conditions that complicate treatment selection.
One treatment approach cannot meet everyone's needs. Patients deserve access to a broader range of options so that treatment can be individualised in consultation with qualified healthcare professionals.
Guanfacine is an established non-stimulant medication for ADHD in several countries. Making it available in India could expand the options that clinicians can consider for appropriate patients, particularly when existing treatments are ineffective, poorly tolerated, or unsuitable.
We are not claiming that guanfacine works for every individual or that its effectiveness is established for every neurodevelopmental condition or executive-function difficulty. We are advocating for its availability as another potential option, allowing medical professionals to assess its suitability according to each patient's needs and medical circumstances.
What We Are Asking For :
- Regulatory review and availability: Facilitate the appropriate regulatory process for guanfacine in India, including extended-release formulations where feasible.
- Affordable medication: Encourage pharmaceutical manufacturers to introduce quality-assured generic formulations at accessible prices.
- Broader clinical awareness: Encourage psychiatrists, neurologists, developmental paediatricians, and other relevant specialists to stay informed about evidence-based treatment alternatives.
- Individualised treatment: Recognise that patients differ in their responses to medication and that access to additional options can be important when first-line treatments are unsuitable.
We call upon the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Department of Pharmaceuticals, medical associations, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to consider this appeal and work towards making guanfacine accessible and affordable in India.
Better healthcare means more appropriate choices, not a one-size-fits-all approach. People with ADHD and neurodevelopmental difficulties deserve the opportunity to explore suitable treatment options under medical supervision.
Who Should Support This Petition?
We invite support from:
- Psychiatrists and child and adolescent psychiatrists.
- Neurologists and developmental paediatricians.
- Clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists.
- Relevant cardiology and endocrinology professionals.
- ADHD and neurodiversity advocacy groups.
- Healthcare policymakers and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
- People dealing ADHD, Executive Functions Disorder/Issues and other Neurodivergent Problems
Relevant Authorities which are tagged
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
- National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
- Department of Pharmaceuticals
- Indian Psychiatric Society
- Indian Academy of Neurology
Sign and Share :
Help us raise awareness about the need for more affordable ADHD treatment options and greater access to appropriate alternatives in India.
Every patient deserves the opportunity to find a treatment that works for them.
12
The Issue
To the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, CDSCO, NPPA, Department of Pharmaceuticals, medical associations, and Indian pharmaceutical companies.
The Petition.
The Petition
We urge the Government of India and pharmaceutical companies to facilitate the availability of guanfacine at an affordable price in India, giving patients and healthcare professionals access to an additional treatment option.
People with ADHD and other neurodevelopmental difficulties can have diverse cognitive, behavioural, and executive-function challenges. Unfortunately, not everyone responds well to commonly prescribed medications such as methylphenidate and atomoxetine. Some experience inadequate benefits or intolerable side effects, while others have coexisting cardiovascular, endocrine, sleep-related, or other medical conditions that complicate treatment selection.
One treatment approach cannot meet everyone's needs. Patients deserve access to a broader range of options so that treatment can be individualised in consultation with qualified healthcare professionals.
Guanfacine is an established non-stimulant medication for ADHD in several countries. Making it available in India could expand the options that clinicians can consider for appropriate patients, particularly when existing treatments are ineffective, poorly tolerated, or unsuitable.
We are not claiming that guanfacine works for every individual or that its effectiveness is established for every neurodevelopmental condition or executive-function difficulty. We are advocating for its availability as another potential option, allowing medical professionals to assess its suitability according to each patient's needs and medical circumstances.
What We Are Asking For :
- Regulatory review and availability: Facilitate the appropriate regulatory process for guanfacine in India, including extended-release formulations where feasible.
- Affordable medication: Encourage pharmaceutical manufacturers to introduce quality-assured generic formulations at accessible prices.
- Broader clinical awareness: Encourage psychiatrists, neurologists, developmental paediatricians, and other relevant specialists to stay informed about evidence-based treatment alternatives.
- Individualised treatment: Recognise that patients differ in their responses to medication and that access to additional options can be important when first-line treatments are unsuitable.
We call upon the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), Department of Pharmaceuticals, medical associations, and pharmaceutical manufacturers to consider this appeal and work towards making guanfacine accessible and affordable in India.
Better healthcare means more appropriate choices, not a one-size-fits-all approach. People with ADHD and neurodevelopmental difficulties deserve the opportunity to explore suitable treatment options under medical supervision.
Who Should Support This Petition?
We invite support from:
- Psychiatrists and child and adolescent psychiatrists.
- Neurologists and developmental paediatricians.
- Clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists.
- Relevant cardiology and endocrinology professionals.
- ADHD and neurodiversity advocacy groups.
- Healthcare policymakers and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
- People dealing ADHD, Executive Functions Disorder/Issues and other Neurodivergent Problems
Relevant Authorities which are tagged
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
- Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
- National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)
- Department of Pharmaceuticals
- Indian Psychiatric Society
- Indian Academy of Neurology
Sign and Share :
Help us raise awareness about the need for more affordable ADHD treatment options and greater access to appropriate alternatives in India.
Every patient deserves the opportunity to find a treatment that works for them.
The Decision Makers
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Petition created on 24 October 2026