Big relief for cancer patients: 543 drug brands get cheaper from Nov 9; Check full list

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on Wednesday released revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) for 543 brands of anti-cancer drugs, days after government capped trade margins at 30% for such medicines.

The new rates are set to take effect from November 9.

The revised prices include Anastrozole tablets, used in breast cancer treatment, whose MRP has been reduced to ₹73 for a pack of 10 tablets from ₹695.76 earlier.

The price of Azacytin, an Azacitidine injection manufactured by Dr Reddy's Laboratories, has been cut to ₹1,495.04 from ₹6,337 per vial, according to the list released by the NPPA on Wednesday.

The revised MRP of Abbott Healthcare's Bevacizab injection has been reduced to ₹5,930.13 from ₹21,767.70 for a 4 ml vial.

Manufacturers were directed to submit their revised price lists to the authority following the decision.

The NPPA, under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, has undertaken the exercise to curb excessive trade margins and make cancer treatment more affordable.

The regulator said the revised price list reflects information submitted by pharmaceutical companies up to October 27. It will be updated on a continual basis as manufacturers submit revised prices of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.

The notification said concerns had been raised over the “wide disparity between the procurement price and the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) charged from consumers”.

Under the prescribed formula, manufacturers must calculate the revised MRP using the price at which a medicine is sold to a stockist or distributor, with the trade margin not exceeding 30%, plus applicable GST.

A formulation with a price to stockist of ₹70 can have a maximum revised MRP of ₹100, excluding applicable GST, under the 30% trade margin cap.

The MRP of Dasanat 20, a Dasatinib tablet manufactured by Natco Pharma, has been reduced to ₹1,085.93 from ₹2,812.50 for a pack of 60 tablets.

The price of Debrumab 60 mg, a Denosumab injection manufactured by RPG Life Sciences, has been revised to ₹5,941 from ₹22,031.25 for a 1 ml pre-filled syringe.

The MRP of Enuta, an Enzalutamide capsule from RPG Life Sciences, has been reduced to ₹2,232 from ₹6,578.20 for a pack of 28 capsules.

The NPPA's revised list also covers Erlotinib, Fludarabine and Fulvestrant formulations, among other medicines.

The 137 drugs include immunotherapy medicines used to treat more than 20 types of cancer, Denosumab used by breast and prostate cancer patients, and Pegfilgrastim, which helps prevent neutropenia in cancer patients.

Bevacizumab, another drug covered under the list, is approved for the treatment of colon, ovarian and cervical cancers.

The revised MRPs are part of the regulator's efforts to ensure that the benefits of trade margin rationalisation are passed on to patients through lower medicine prices.