India caps trade margins on 137 cancer drugs, with revised prices due November 9
publishers 16articles 17first reported 17 Oct, 16:15 UTCdeveloping since 17 Oct · 8 editions
India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has capped trade margins on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines in a move expected to reduce maximum retail prices by about 20% to 70%. The revised prices will take effect on November 9, 2026, and remain in force until further orders.
The cap limits the trade margin to 30% of the retail price excluding GST, equivalent to a 42.86% mark-up on the price charged to a stockist or distributor. The list, recommended by an expert committee under the Directorate General of Health Services, includes patented medicines such as pembrolizumab, ribociclib and abemaciclib. It will be updated periodically.
Manufacturers must submit revised prices to the NPPA within seven days. Companies whose existing retail prices are below the newly calculated ceiling must retain those lower prices. Non-compliant manufacturers may be required to repay overcharged amounts with interest.
According to The Indian Express, NPPA experts found average trade mark-ups of about 170% on non-scheduled cancer drugs, with some reaching 700%. The authority estimates that the measure could produce annual savings of approximately ₹2,500 crore. Manufacturers must also maintain current production levels and obtain NPPA permission before reducing average monthly output.
The policy expands a 2019 exercise that capped margins on 42 cancer drugs and led to price reductions across hundreds of brands. Access-to-medicines advocate K.M. Gopakumar told The Hindu that many treatments could remain unaffordable and that other hospital charges may continue to keep overall cancer-care costs high.
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