India’s National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has revised the maximum retail prices (MRPs) of 543 cancer drug brands and pack sizes, with some generic and biosimilar medicines becoming up to 93% cheaper. However, prices of 65 expensive, single-source cancer medicines remain unchanged, limiting the relief for some patients.
Under the revised pricing list, the price of Palbopro, a brand of the cancer drug palbociclib, has dropped from ₹40,421.33 to ₹2,720 for a specified pack, a reduction of around 93%. The price of certain other cancer medicines, including thiotepa and abiraterone, has also fallen sharply.
The revised prices follow the government’s decision to cap trade margins at 30% of the maximum retail price for 137 identified non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines. The new prices are scheduled to take effect from November 9, 2026.
However, several costly original-brand medicines remain expensive. Keytruda, used in cancer immunotherapy, continues to be priced at approximately ₹2.16 lakh for a 100 mg vial, while Avastin remains around ₹1.23 lakh for a 400 mg vial.
The difference reflects the limits of trade-margin controls. While generic and biosimilar medicines may see substantial reductions where distribution margins are high, the cap does not automatically reduce the manufacturer’s base price for every medicine.
The government expects the initiative to ease the financial burden on cancer patients, with projected annual savings of up to ₹2,500 crore. However, the actual benefit will depend on the specific medicine and brand prescribed.
The revised prices will come into effect on November 9, 2026. Patients can check updated medicine prices through the NPPA website or the Pharma Sahi Daam app.
