SMA Treatment in India (2025 Guide)

Every year, 3,600-8640  people are affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) in India, according to the Indian Academy of Sciences. SMA is a rare genetic disorder that weakens muscles and hinders movement, often before a child learns to walk or even sit. It usually appears in infants or young children, and without early treatment, it can be life-threatening.

Once seen as untreatable, SMA treatment in India has taken a hopeful turn with breakthrough therapies like Zolgensma, Spinraza, and Evrysdi, offering children a real chance at life. But hope comes at a heavy price; the gene therapy cost can exceed ₹16 crore, making it one of the world’s most expensive treatments.

Beyond the emotional toll, families often face the heart-wrenching challenge of arranging funds in time. Amid these challenges, India’s leading SMA hospitals and medical crowdfunding platforms, such as ImpactGuru, are helping families access timely care and financial support.

This guide explores everything you need to know, from treatment options and costs to how families can find help and hope along the way.

What is Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)?

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is a rare genetic disorder that affects the motor neurons, the nerve cells responsible for muscle movement. It occurs due to a mutation in the SMN1 gene, which produces the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein, essential for keeping these nerve cells healthy.

When the body doesn’t make enough of this protein, motor neurons weaken and die. As a result, muscles gradually lose strength, affecting a person’s ability to sit, walk, swallow, or even breathe.

SMA is often diagnosed in infants and young children, though milder forms may appear later in life. There are four main types of SMA, Type 1 being the most severe and Type 4 the mildest.

While SMA doesn’t impact intelligence, it deeply affects physical abilities. However, early diagnosis and timely spinal muscular atrophy treatment can make a life-changing difference by slowing down the disease and improving quality of life. Today, with advanced SMA treatment in India, hope is more accessible than ever.

Treatment Options for SMA in India

Thanks to medical advancements, SMA treatment in India has evolved from supportive care to disease-modifying therapies that address the root genetic cause. The major treatment options include:

1. Gene Therapy (Zolgensma)

Zolgensma is a one-time intravenous (injection) gene therapy designed to replace the faulty or missing SMN1 gene. This helps the body produce the essential SMN protein that keeps muscles strong and functioning. Although the gene therapy cost in India can reach ₹16–18 crore, it offers long-term benefits and is considered one of the most effective SMA treatments globally.

2. Spinraza (Nusinersen) Injections

Spinraza is given directly into the spinal fluid multiple times a year. It helps increase SMN protein levels and preserve motor function. However, the SMA injection cost can exceed ₹4 crore in the first year, with additional doses needed for continued improvement.

3. Risdiplam (Evrysdi) Oral Therapy

Evrysdi is a daily oral liquid medication approved for children and adults with SMA. It promotes SMN protein production in a more accessible, non-invasive form. The annual cost of Evrysdi in India is approximately ₹70–75 lakh, depending on dosage and patient weight.

4. Supportive & Rehabilitation Care

In addition to drug-based treatments, supportive therapies like physiotherapy, respiratory support, nutritional therapy, and assistive devices are crucial in improving quality of life. These interventions help maintain mobility, lung health, and independence over time.

Modern SMA hospitals in India now offer a combination of these treatment modalities, supported by advanced genetic testing and neurology expertise. Early access to these therapies, through medical crowdfunding or financial aid programs, can make a life-changing difference for children diagnosed with this rare condition.

What are the Symptoms and Risk Factors of SMA?

The severity of symptoms depends on the SMA type and how much SMN protein the body produces.

Common Symptoms of SMA:

• Progressive muscle weakness, especially in the shoulders, hips, and legs
• Difficulty sitting, standing, or walking independently
• Weak cry or trouble swallowing (in infants)
• Breathing difficulties due to weak respiratory muscles
• Loss of reflexes or poor head control in babies
• Fatigue and limited mobility as the condition progresses

Risk Factors for SMA:

• Genetic inheritance: Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal recessive condition, which means a child develops SMA only if they inherit two defective copies of the SMN1 gene, one from each parent. If both parents are carriers (each having one faulty gene but no symptoms), there’s a 25% chance their child will have SMA.
• Family history: Couples with a known family history of SMA have a higher risk of passing it to their children.
• Carrier status: Even if parents show no symptoms, being carriers of the SMN1 mutation can lead to an affected child.

Since SMA is genetic, it cannot be prevented, but early genetic testing, prenatal screening, and newborn screening can help with timely diagnosis and early intervention, which greatly improves outcomes.

What is the Cost of SMA Treatment in India?

The cost of SMA treatment in India varies depending on the therapy chosen, the patient’s condition, and the hospital offering care. Since spinal muscular atrophy treatment involves advanced gene or molecular therapies, the expenses are extremely high, often reaching crores of rupees. Below is an overview of the major treatment options and their estimated costs in India:

Type of SMA Treatment	Description	Estimated Cost in India (₹)
Gene Therapy (Zolgensma)	It is a one-time intravenous therapy that replaces the missing or faulty SMN1 gene, addressing the root cause of SMA. It helps restore muscle strength and motor function.	₹16–18 crore
Spinraza (Nusinersen) Injections	Spinraza is administered into the spinal fluid several times a year to increase SMN protein production.	₹4.2 crore for the first year and 2.1 crore annually afterwards
Risdiplam (Evrysdi) Oral Therapy	This oral therapy includes daily liquid medicine for SMA patients that supports motor neuron health and function.	₹72.8 lakh annually
Supportive & Rehabilitation Care	It includes physiotherapy, respiratory support, nutrition, and assistive devices.	₹1–3 lakh per year

Even though the SMA injection cost or gene therapy cost in India can seem overwhelming, timely treatment can significantly improve both survival and quality of life. Since most insurance plans and government health schemes do not cover these rare-disease therapies, many families rely on medical crowdfunding to bridge the financial gap.

Platforms like ImpactGuru make it possible to share a child’s story, reach donors worldwide, and raise funds quickly for life-saving SMA treatment in India, turning hope into action when time matters most.

Top Hospitals for SMA Treatment in India

1. Rainbow Children’s Hospital, Secunderabad
   Rainbow Children’s Hospital in Secunderabad has successfully administered the gene therapy Zolgensma for SMA eight times till May 2025, making it one of India’s most experienced centres. Each dose costs around ₹16 crore, highlighting the scale of care and investment required. Alongside gene therapy, the hospital offers full support through genetic counselling, physiotherapy, and rehab, providing families with a comprehensive path for spinal muscular atrophy treatment in India.
2. P. D. Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre, Mumbai
   P. D. Hinduja Hospital is one of the first private centres in India to deliver gene therapy for SMA using Zolgensma in a six-month-old child. This milestone highlights its leadership in SMA hospitals in India and its capacity for high-end treatments. This milestone highlights its leadership in SMA hospitals in India and its capacity for high-end treatments. With its modern infrastructure, expert care, and post-therapy support services, Hinduja stands out as a premier destination for families navigating spinal muscular atrophy treatment in India.
3. Peerless Hospital & B. K. Roy Research Centre, Kolkata
   Peerless Hospital in Kolkata has become an eastern India hub for SMA treatment, recently performing a high-profile gene therapy worth ₹16 crore for a 16-month-old child. The hospital’s paediatric neurology unit supports full-spectrum SMA care: diagnosis, rehabilitation, and global-drug access coordination. This positions Peerless as a leading centre in eastern India for advanced SMA treatment.
4. AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences), New Delhi
   AIIMS New Delhi has been designated a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for rare diseases by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare. It reflects its commitment to treating complex conditions, including neuromuscular disorders like SMA. The hospital has received over ₹23 crore in government funding for rare disease care, underlining its role in providing more affordable options for families seeking spinal muscular atrophy treatment in India. With multidisciplinary teams, genetic-testing infrastructure, and public support schemes, AIIMS offers a vital pathway for SMA-affected children, especially when gene therapy costs or private-hospital expenses may be a barrier.
5. Apollo Hospitals, Indore
   Apollo Hospitals Indore lists a dedicated “SMA treatment” service where specialists handle genetic disorders like spinal muscular atrophy. The centre provides genetic testing and treatment plans for SMA, offering medicines like Onasemnogene abeparvovec (Zolgensma), Nusinersen (Spinraza), and Risdiplam (Evrysdi) as part of the therapy discussion. Families seeking SMA treatment in central India can consider this hospital for multidisciplinary care and advanced diagnostics.

Challenges in Accessing SMA Treatment in India

While breakthroughs like Zolgensma, Spinraza, and Evrysdi have brought new hope to families, accessing SMA treatment in India remains a huge challenge. The challenges are not just medical, but also financial, logistical, and systemic.

1. Extremely High Treatment Costs

The biggest hurdle is the sky-high cost of SMA treatment in India. Gene therapy can cost ₹16–18 crore, while ongoing oral or injection-based treatments can run into tens of lakhs every year. Since these therapies are imported and patented, they remain out of reach for most families without external financial aid.

2. Limited Availability of Advanced Therapies

Not all hospitals in India have the infrastructure or approvals to administer these specialized treatments. Only select centres of excellence in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai offer gene therapy and advanced SMA care. This limits accessibility for families from smaller towns or rural areas.

3. Delayed Diagnosis

Many SMA cases go undiagnosed or are misdiagnosed for months due to a lack of awareness and newborn screening. By the time symptoms are recognized, irreversible muscle damage has often occurred, reducing the potential effectiveness of treatment.

4. Inadequate Insurance Coverage

Most health insurance plans in India exclude rare genetic disorders like SMA from their coverage list. Even when partial coverage exists, it is insufficient compared to the massive expenses involved in long-term care.

5. Emotional and Psychological Strain

Beyond financial stress, families face immense emotional and psychological challenges in managing a chronic, life-altering condition. The uncertainty of treatment access and affordability often adds to their distress.

How to Raise Funds for SMA Treatment in India

As mentioned above, most health insurance policies do not cover these rare disease treatments, and government aid programs often involve lengthy approval processes. This leaves families with limited options for arranging the cost of SMA treatment in India when time is critical for a child’s survival.

That’s where medical crowdfunding steps in as a life-saving solution. Platforms like ImpactGuru allow families to raise funds online by sharing their story, uploading verified medical documents, and appealing to donors across India and abroad. Every contribution, big or small, brings families closer to affording the life-saving spinal muscular atrophy treatment their child needs.

ImpactGuru’s transparent process ensures that families receive the funds directly and securely, while ImpactGuru’s support team assists with campaign setup, storytelling, and withdrawals. With the right community support and awareness, no rare disease should remain untreated due to financial constraints.

Conclusion

The journey of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) treatment in India reflects both remarkable medical progress and persistent challenges. With world-class hospitals now administering Zolgensma gene therapy and offering multidisciplinary care, the country is moving closer to making advanced SMA treatment accessible to all.

Yet, the high treatment cost and limited availability continue to weigh heavily on affected families. Early diagnosis, awareness, and affordable access remain essential for saving young lives.

Platforms like ImpactGuru are bridging this gap by enabling families to raise funds quickly and transparently for life-saving SMA treatment in India. With collective compassion, awareness, and innovation, every child battling SMA can have the chance to stand, smile, and thrive again.

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