Prices of 110 anti-cancer medicines may fall up to 70 pc as govt caps trade margins

New Delhi: In a major step aimed at making cancer treatment more affordable, the government has reportedly decided to cap trade margins at 30 per cent of the maximum retail price (MRP) for all non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, official sources said on Thursday.

The measure will cover branded and generic drugs, as well as domestic and imported products, including both patented and non-patented medicines.

The decision, which is expected to come into effect later this month, is aimed at curbing excessive mark-ups in the supply chain and reducing the financial burden on cancer patients.

According to official estimates, the move will impact around 110 anti-cancer medicines, including 35 patented drugs, and could lead to a reduction of up to 70 per cent in the MRP of affected products.

Government sources said the intervention is designed to address wide variations in trade margins and ensure that patients have access to life-saving treatments at more affordable prices without disrupting the availability of medicines in the market.

Under the new framework, the trade margin on all non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs will be restricted to 30 per cent of the MRP, regardless of whether the medicines are branded or generic, manufactured locally or imported.

The measure is expected to lower out-of-pocket expenditure for cancer patients, many of whom face high treatment costs over extended periods.

Officials estimate that the reduction in medicine prices could translate into annual savings of around Rs 2,500 crore for patients. The government believes the benefits will be passed on directly through lower retail prices of the affected medicines.

The latest move builds on a similar intervention introduced in 2019, when trade margins on select anti-cancer drugs were capped to check excessive pricing.

The new decision significantly expands the scope of the policy by bringing all non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines under the trade-margin cap.

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