Port Blair, Mar 08: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers, today put out list of 390 anti-cancer non-scheduled medicines with MRP reduction up to 87%. The revised prices would come into effect from 8th March, 2019.
On27th February, 2019, NPPA had put 42 anti-cancer drugs under 30% Trade Margin cap. Manufacturers and Hospitals were directed to convey revised MRP, to be effective from 8th March, 2019, based on the Trade Margin (TM) formula. 390 brands i.e. 91% of the 426 brands reported by manufacturers, showed downward price movement.
The average out of pocket expenditure for cancer patients is 2.5 times that for other diseases. This move is expected to benefit 22 lakh cancer patients in the country and would result in annual savings of approx. Rs. 800 crores to the consumers.
The Trade Margin rationalisation for 42 anti cancer drugs was rolled out as Proof of Concept, stressing on the new paradigm of self-regulation by the Industry. The manufacturers of these 42 drugs have been directed not to reduce production volumes of brands under regulation.
The range of reduction is as 75% & above with 38 No. of Brands, 50% to <75% 124 No. of Brands, 25% to <50% 121 No. of Brands, below 25% 107 No. of Brands and all total No. of Brands are 390.
The full list of brands with revised MRP is available at nppaindia.nic.in. Prices of more brands are expected to show downward reduction in near future, as data is received from other manufacturers, said Nilesh Kumar Kalbhor (IIS), Deputy Director(M&C), PIB Port Blair, Government of India in a press release.