India Caps Trade Margins on 137 Anti-Cancer Drugs to Improve Affordability

India's National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped trade margins on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs at 30% of MRP under the DPCO 2013 framework. The revised prices take effect from November 9 and are expected to reduce MRP by up to 70%. The move builds on a 2019 pilot exercise and was informed by an expert committee under the DGHS. While the measure is intended to improve affordability, some healthcare access advocates note it may not fully address the total cost burden of cancer treatment.

Trade margin rationalisation covering 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs has been put into effect by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), with a government official stating that the policy is intended to bring down the cost of cancer treatment and broaden patient access to the medicines involved. Retail prices on the identified non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines could fall by as much as 70 per cent under the policy, with the actual reduction for each product tied to where its current price sits within the broader pricing structure. The updated pricing structure takes effect on 9 November, with the regulatory body noting that the move extends an earlier initiative — a 2019 pilot exercise conducted by the NPPA — under which trade margins on 42 anti-cancer medicines were held to a ceiling of 30%. Prices on 526 non-scheduled anti-cancer drug products — none falling under scheduled-medicine regulations — were brought down by as much as 90 per cent through that pricing review process. A government release indicated that the scope of this work has been widened to cover a broader catalogue of anti-cancer medicines, drawing on the roster of drugs put forward by the Expert Committee operating under the Directorate General of Health Services. A panel drawing on oncologists, medical professionals, hospital representatives from around the country, and government officers put forward 137 medicines for addition to the TMR list, with the official statement noting that the roster would be reviewed and refreshed on a rolling basis. The NPPA, acting under paragraph 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order 2013, has set a 30% trade margin ceiling on the MRP of medicines falling within the committee's recommendations, though a spokesperson noted that even with this cap in place, many patients may find the cost of these drugs beyond their financial reach. Pricing reductions on treatment are unlikely to materialise from that policy shift alone, K.M. noted, pointing out that healthcare providers retain the ability to offset any cap by raising fees across other areas — among them consumables, diagnostic procedures, and consultation charges. Gopakumar holds the position of co-convenor within the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatments.

India Caps Trade Margins on 137 Anti-Cancer Drugs to Improve Affordability

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India Caps Trade Margins on 137 Anti-Cancer Drugs to Improve Affordability

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