In a targeted regulatory initiative to expand the affordability of critical oncology care, the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, alongside the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), has enforced a 30% trade margin cap on the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.
The government intervention aims to curb inflated distribution markups across hospital, retail, and digital supply chains, eliminating market profiteering and ensuring patient health remains the foremost priority. While scheduled essential formulations remain subject to ceiling price limits, extending margin rationalization to non-scheduled oncology drugs provides immediate financial relief by significantly narrowing the gap between procurement costs and consumer retail prices.
State Drug Controllers and enforcement wings have been directed to ensure manufacturers, stockists, and hospital pharmacies strictly adhere to the revised pricing caps, ensuring price transparency and unhindered access to lifesaving cancer therapies nationwide.
Written by: Pragna Biswas
Graphics by: Pramit Hazra
