New Delhi, Oct. 19 -- The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped trade margins on 137 identified non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs at 30 percent of their maximum retail price, a move expected to reduce MRPs by up to 70 per cent, depending on existing price structures. Under a Gazette notification issued on October 17, the revised prices will take effect on November 9. The intervention aims to curb excessive distribution and retail margins and ease the financial burden of cancer treatment.

The drugs covered include immunotherapies used to treat more than 20 types of cancer, denosumab used by breast and prostate cancer patients, pegfilgrastim used to prevent neutropenia in cancer patients, and bevacizumab, approved for t...