Now Reading: NPPA cuts cancer drug prices by up to 90%, key drugs unchanged
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NPPA cuts cancer drug prices by up to 90%, key drugs unchanged
The Story in Brief
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised the maximum retail prices of 543 cancer drugs, with some seeing reductions of over 90%. Palbociclib for breast cancer dropped from Rs 40,421 to Rs 2,720 per pack, and the chemotherapy drug thiotepa fell from about Rs 80,072 to Rs 7,150 per vial. Other drugs including dasatinib, lenvatinib and olaparib also saw large cuts.
However, several expensive drugs were left out, including the immunotherapy drug Keytruda (Rs 2,16,500), ribociclib (Rs 24,435), Tagrisso, Tecentriq, Darzalex and Imfinzi. Malini Aisola of the All India Drug Action Network (AIDAN) said patent drugs were excluded because they are already provided free under Patient Assistance Programmes (PAPs), though she argued this allows hospitals and middlemen to make large profits. She added that the formula still gives a 42.8% margin to hospitals or distributors.
The Supreme Court is considering capping margins on all drugs outside price control, and has reserved its order. The revised NPPA prices take effect from 9 November.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The NPPA's price cuts bring relief on some branded generics but leave the most expensive patented therapies untouched, meaning patients reliant on drugs like Keytruda still face Rs 2,16,500 per dose. Aisola's criticism points to a structural loophole: excluding drugs covered by Patient Assistance Programmes lets manufacturers set high list prices while offering selective freebies, and the 42.8% trade margin built into the formula limits the depth of cuts. The Supreme Court's pending order on margin caps across all decontrolled drugs could force a broader reset. The 9 November implementation date is the immediate marker for patients.
Source: aajtak.in
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
