Revised prices of 1,364 anti-cancer medicine formulations come into effect

New Delhi, Nov 9: Revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) of anti-cancer medicines covering 1,364 formulations from 85 pharmaceutical companies came into effect across India on Monday, following the government’s decision to cap trade margins on 137 anti-cancer drugs at 30 per cent of their MRP.
The Department of Pharmaceuticals and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) said the initiative is aimed at making cancer treatment more affordable by reducing the prices of essential medicines and limiting excessive trade margins.
According to the official information released by the department, the reform has expanded significantly since its pilot phase in 2019, when trade margin rationalisation was introduced for 42 anti-cancer drugs. At that time, the MRPs of 526 brands were reduced by up to 90 per cent.
The initiative now covers 137 anti-cancer drugs and 1,364 formulations, with revised prices reflecting reductions of up to 96.45 per cent, according to the government.
The implementation process was carried out in stages. On October 17, trade margins on 137 anti-cancer drugs were capped at 30 per cent of their MRP. The first list of 543 brands with revised MRPs was published on October 27, followed by the reporting of 1,364 formulations by 85 pharmaceutical companies on November 8.
The revised prices became effective from November 9.
The government said the measure is intended to ensure that the benefits of margin rationalisation reach patients at the retail counter, reducing the financial burden on families dealing with cancer treatment.
The expansion of the initiative from 42 drugs in 2019 to 137 drugs in 2026 marks a significant extension of the price-rationalisation exercise in the anti-cancer medicines segment.
The complete list of revised maximum retail prices is available on the NPPA website. [KNT]