India has announced measures to reduce the prices of 137 cancer medicines by up to 70%, in a move aimed at making cancer treatment more affordable for patients.The new pricing regulations will take effect on November 9, 2026, following a decision by India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) to cap trade margins on the selected medicines at 30%.
According to India’s Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the decision is expected to significantly reduce the financial burden on cancer patients and their families.The medicines covered include treatments for more than 20 types of cancer, including breast, prostate, colon, ovarian and cervical cancers.Several widely used cancer treatments, including pembrolizumab, bevacizumab, durvalumab and osimertinib, are among the medicines covered by the new regulations.Pharmaceutical manufacturers have been instructed to submit revised prices within seven days of the official notification, while hospitals and pharmacies must implement the reduced prices from November 9.Authorities have also directed pharmaceutical companies to maintain existing production and supply levels to prevent shortages.
The latest decision follows a similar initiative introduced in 2019, when India capped trade margins on 42 cancer medicines, resulting in price reductions of up to 90% across 526 brands.The government said the latest intervention is intended to improve access to cancer treatment while preventing excessive profit margins in the pharmaceutical distribution and retail sectors.However, the actual price reduction will vary depending on the existing pricing structure of each medicine
