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NEW DELHI: Prices of 390 cancer medicines — which were so far outside the purview of government price control — have been slashed by up to 87% following the decision to cap trade margins of 42 drug formulations last month, bringing major relief to cancer patients stressed by hefty treatment cost. The new prices come into effect from March 8.

On February 27, the drug price regulator National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority had brought 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under price control, capping trade margin at 30%. The 390 medicines contain one or more of the 42 drugs.

The move, aimed at curbing undue profiteering by chemists and drug wholesalers, is expected to result in an annual savings of Rs 800 crore for patients, according to NPPA.

TOI was the first to report on January 23 that the government is working to cap the trade margins of cancer medicines as the PMO felt an urgent need to curtail undue margins charged by stockists and retailers.

