New Delhi, Oct. 18 -- The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), the regulator that sets and monitors drug prices, has capped the trade margin on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines at 30% of their maximum retail price (MRP), a move the government expects to cut their prices by up to 70%. The revised prices will apply from November 9.

The trade margin is the share of a drug's price kept by the distributors, chemists and hospitals that sell it. Non-scheduled medicines are those outside the National List of Essential Medicines, which means the government sets no ceiling price for them.

The decision was approved at NPPA meetings on October 16 and 17, according to the minutes, seen by HT.

At the meeting, chaired by Manoj Jos...