Healthcare / Cancer treatment gets cheaper as Centre caps trade margins on drugs

New Delhi, Nov 9: In a major relief for cancer patients and their families, the Central Government has announced a significant reduction in the prices of several cancer medicines ahead of Diwali.

The move is aimed at lowering the financial burden of treatment and ensuring that life-saving drugs become more affordable for patients across the country.

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has introduced new measures to curb excessive profit margins charged by pharmaceutical companies and distributors.

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Under the updated regulations, the trade margin on 137 non-scheduled cancer drugs has been capped at a maximum of 30 per cent. As a result, the maximum retail price (MRP) of many widely used cancer medicines is expected to decline.

The decision is likely to benefit thousands of patients undergoing treatment for various forms of cancer.

According to officials, the price reduction will impact 543 brands of medicines used in the treatment of more than 20 types of cancer. These include drugs prescribed for breast cancer, lung cancer, blood cancer and colorectal cancer, among other serious illnesses.

However, not all cancer medicines will become cheaper. Certain patented imported immunotherapy drugs will remain outside the scope of the latest pricing mechanism, meaning their prices are expected to remain unchanged.

To ensure transparency and protect patients from overcharging, hospitals and pharmacies will be required to prominently display revised price lists once the new rates come into effect. This will help patients and their families verify medicine prices and make informed purchasing decisions.

In addition, consumers can check the updated prices through the NPPA's Pharma Sahi Daam mobile application, which provides information on approved medicine rates.