Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 9: Prices of several anti-cancer medicines may fall by up to 70 per cent as the government moves to cap trade margins at 30 per cent of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for non-scheduled cancer drugs, according to official sources.

The proposed measure aims to make expensive cancer medicines more affordable and reduce the financial burden on patients. The proposed cap would cover branded and generic medicines, domestic and imported drugs, as well as patented and non-patented anti-cancer medicines.

Under the proposed intervention, trade margins on all non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines would be capped at 30 per cent of their MRP. The measure is expected to significantly reduce the prices of certain high-cost medicines, particularly patented drugs.

Official sources said the proposal could lead to MRP reductions of up to 70 per cent in some cases and generate estimated annual savings of around Rs 2,500 crore for patients.

The move is intended to address excessive trade mark-ups, improve affordability and ensure the continued availability of life-saving medicines.

The proposed intervention builds on a government initiative introduced in 2019, which reportedly generated annual savings of Rs 984 crore across 526 brands. The latest proposal seeks to further strengthen efforts to ensure affordable and accessible healthcare.

The government is in the final stages of considering the proposed price cap. A committee comprising oncologists has been constituted to examine the proposal and is expected to take a final decision soon.

The government may also consider extending a similar approach to additional cancer medicines and other drugs in the future.

Earlier, the Department of Pharmaceuticals had asked the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to analyse the trade margins of certain medicines.

If approved, the proposed measure is expected to provide financial relief to cancer patients by reducing the prices of several non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines while ensuring their continued availability.