Govt mandates price reduction on essential anti-cancer drugs | Fusion - WeRIndia

The Indian government has taken a significant step toward affordable cancer treatment by mandating a price reduction on three vital anti-cancer drugs.

They are Trastuzumab, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab.

This directive, issued by the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), follows customs duty and GST reductions introduced in the 2024-25 Union Budget.

These reductions aim to make essential healthcare more accessible to patients across the country.

The NPPA is a regulatory body under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers.

It has released an official memorandum instructing manufacturers to lower the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of these three medications.

The move aligns with the Union Budget announcement, where Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to exempt these drugs from the 10% customs duty, effective July 23.

The Ministry of Finance then formalized the exemption, intending for companies to pass the savings directly to patients by reducing drug prices in the market.

This step is a critical one, as it emphasizes the government’s dedication to reducing the financial strain often associated with cancer treatment, which can be prohibitive for many families.

To ensure effective implementation, the NPPA has required all manufacturers of Trastuzumab, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab to promptly issue updated price lists to dealers, state drugs controllers, and the NPPA itself.

Manufacturers must inform stakeholders about price adjustments and submit updated information to the NPPA, ensuring compliance and transparency.

By enforcing this step, the government intends to directly impact consumer costs, allowing patients to benefit from tax reductions in real time.

This measure highlights a larger governmental effort to make critical healthcare more affordable and accessible.

Cancer treatment often includes long-term use of expensive medications, which can lead to severe financial burdens on families.

By lowering prices on these life-saving drugs, the government hopes to alleviate some of these challenges and help ensure broader access to essential care.

With the NPPA closely monitoring adherence, this initiative aims to offer tangible relief to those facing the immense physical and financial toll of cancer.

Image from Pxhere (Free for commercial use / CC0 Public Domain)

Image Published on February 23, 2017

Image Reference: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/808201