Cancer drug prices in India to fall by up to 70 percent
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The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) in India will lower prices for 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs by as much as 70 percent starting November 9.
The price reductions result from the NPPA capping trade margins at 30 percent of the maximum retail price, excluding taxes. This action follows a recommendation from the Supreme Court, which noted large differences between the price manufacturers charge to retailers and the final price billed to patients, in some cases, a tenfold difference.
The NPPA will require drug manufacturers to report revised prices within seven days and display them on their websites, while hospitals and retailers must prominently show the new prices to patients. The agency based the revised prices on drug costs from March 2026 and will allow companies running patient assistance programs to exclude those free-drug supplies when calculating costs. Hospitals and medical institutions that receive direct drug shipments will be responsible for implementing the new prices.
The NPPA will also monitor production levels and require manufacturers to seek permission before reducing monthly output. Consumers can verify the updated prices using the Pharma Sahi Daam app or the NPPA website, and the NPPA previously reduced prices on 526 anti-cancer drugs by up to 90 percent in 2019.
