Cancer Drug Prices May Fall Up To 70% As Government Caps Trade Margins At 30%

The government has capped trade margins on non-scheduled cancer medicines at 30%, aiming to reduce prices by up to 70% and save patients an estimated ₹2,500 crore annually. The move follows findings by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) that some cancer drugs carried markups averaging around 170%, with certain cases exceeding 700%. Business Today’s Neetu Chandra Sharma explains why the government introduced the new controls, how they extend price regulation beyond medicines already covered by ceiling prices, and what the policy could mean for patients and India's cancer drug market. Actual savings will depend on coverage and implementation.