Centre directs strict vigil to enforce lower prices for 137 anti-cancer drugs

The NPPA has directed strict monitoring of revised prices for 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under a 30 per cent trade margin cap. State Drug Controllers must ensure compliance, while estimated savings for patients from the price cuts stand at Rs 3,541 crore.

New Delhi: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, has directed strict monitoring of the implementation of Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, for which the reduced prices came into effect from November 9, an official statement said on Friday.

The latest revised price lists, based on submissions received from companies up to November 11, 2026, are available on the NPPA website and Pharma Sahi Daam app/portal. All manufacturers, retailers, dealers, stockists, hospitals and medical institutions have been directed to comply with the revised prices and prominently display the updated price lists at their premises and websites.

---

State Drug Controllers (SDCs) have been directed to strictly monitor compliance by manufacturers, dealers, hospitals and medical institutions to ensure that the benefits of the lower MRPs are passed on to patients. Any violation may attract overcharging proceedings under the provisions of DPCO, 2013, the statement said.

Complaints regarding overcharging, shortage or non-availability of medicines can be reported through the Pharma Sahi Daam app/portal, NPPA helpline or email. State Drug Controllers have been asked to submit their Action Taken Reports to NPPA by November 16, 2026, the statement added.

The Centre has introduced a 30 per cent cap on trade margins for 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, aiming to reduce the prices patients pay for these drugs.

The NPPA, through an order issued on October 17, brought the medicines under the Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) mechanism which caps the profits made on the sale of these drugs at 30 per cent. By November 9, 85 pharmaceutical companies had reported revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) for 121 of the 137 medicines, covering 1,366 stock-keeping units.

The highest reported price reduction was 96.45 per cent, while more than 650 formulations recorded MRP reductions of over 50 per cent. The largest number of reductions fell in the 50–75 per cent range.

The estimated savings for patients stand at Rs 3,541 crore. These savings have been calculated by comparing the original and revised prices and applying the difference to the sales volumes recorded between April 2025 and March 2026, according to an official statement.

The 30 per cent cap applies across the pharmaceutical supply chain, including retail and hospital pharmacies. It covers the listed medicines irrespective of their dosage or form, such as tablets and injections, and whether they are sold individually or in combinations.