Revised prices for 137 anti-cancer medicines will take effect from 9 November, bringing relief to cancer patients and their families as the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) caps trade margins on the drugs at 30 per cent.
The NPPA said about 76 pharmaceutical companies have revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) for 1,225 anti-cancer formulations covering 121 drugs. A reduction has been reported in 1,031 formulations, with 600 brands reporting cuts of more than 50 per cent and the highest single reduction at 96.45 per cent.
How much patients could save
The government estimates annual savings of over Rs 3,500 crore for patients, based on the difference between old and revised prices applied to sales volumes from April 2025 to March 2026. The figure is a projection, not money already saved.
One example cited by the pricing authority shows the scale of the change: a bevacizumab 100 mg injection used in lung, colon, ovary and cervical cancer treatment, with one company’s price falling from Rs 25,995 to Rs 3,318.
What the cap covers
The NPPA notified the measure in October under Paragraph 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. It covers formulations containing any of 137 specified non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, including patented medicines and immunotherapies used to treat more than 20 types of cancer.
Patients can check the revised prices on the NPPA website and through the official Pharma Sahi Daam mobile application. The pricing authority has also directed companies to ensure uninterrupted supplies of the medicines.
Assam has signed a Rs 600-crore deal for a proton therapy centre in Guwahati, while Guwahati Medical College performed the Northeast’s first government liver transplant. Cheaper cancer medicines add a national affordability milestone to the region’s growing health infrastructure.
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