Cancer Patients To Get Relief As Prices Of 137 Drugs Fall From November 9

Prices of 137 anti-cancer medicines in India are expected to fall by up to 70% from November 9, after the government capped trade margins on the drugs in a move aimed at making cancer treatment more affordable. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, announced the measure on October 17, covering selected non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines whose prices are not subject to the same ceiling-price controls as scheduled drugs. The government expects the move to ease patients’ out-of-pocket expenses and improve access to treatment.

The revised prices will apply from November 9, 2026. Under the notification, trade margins on the identified medicines will be capped at 30%, with the actual reduction in maximum retail prices (MRPs) varying according to existing price structures. The government estimates that the expanded price-control measure could save cancer patients around Rs 2,500 crore annually.

Trade Margins Capped At 30%

The NPPA has invoked Paragraph 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, to rationalise trade margins on 137 identified non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs. The intervention follows concerns about high mark-ups across the distribution chain, which can substantially increase the price patients pay for medicines. An analysis discussed at an NPPA meeting found that trade mark-ups on some non-scheduled cancer medicines could reach several times the price at the first point of sale.

The list includes medicines used in immunotherapy and in the treatment of several cancers, including breast, prostate, colon, ovarian and cervical cancers. Drugs cited in reporting on the notification include pembrolizumab, ribociclib and abemaciclib. The price reduction will not be uniform across all 137 medicines: the government says the impact will depend on the existing price structure of each formulation.

The government has directed manufacturers to submit revised prices to the pricing authority and publish updated price lists on their websites. Retailers, hospitals and medical institutions must charge the revised prices from November 9 and display the updated lists. State drug controllers will be responsible for monitoring compliance.

Builds On Earlier Price-Control Measures

The latest intervention builds on the NPPA’s 2019 pilot exercise, which capped trade margins on 42 anti-cancer medicines. According to the Department of Pharmaceuticals, that initiative led to price reductions of up to 90% across 526 brands of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines. The expanded list is intended to extend similar protection to more treatments while limiting excessive margins in the supply chain.

To help patients identify the revised rates, the government has advised consumers to check the NPPA website and the Pharma Sahi Daam app. Manufacturers have also been directed to maintain existing production and supply levels to prevent shortages following the price changes.