New Delhi: Cancer medicine prices in India may soon come down. The central government has approved a cap on the extra money that sellers add to many cancer medicines. This extra money is called the trade margin. Under the new rule, the margin will be limited to 30 per cent of the Maximum Retail Price (MRP), the price printed on the pack. The government says this could cut prices by up to 70 per cent and help cancer patients save about Rs 2,500 crore every year. The Department of Pharmaceuticals shared the decision through the Press Information Bureau (PIB) on Thursday night, 8 October 2026.
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What has the government decided on cancer medicine prices?
India already has strict price limits for some cancer medicines. These are the medicines on the government’s main control list, known as scheduled medicines. The government sets a ceiling price for them, which means sellers cannot charge more than that price.
Many other cancer medicines are not on that list. They are called non scheduled medicines. Until now, sellers could add large margins on these. The new decision brings these medicines under a margin cap of 30 per cent of the MRP.
Which medicines will be covered?
The final list is not out yet. An expert committee under the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) will finalise the list. After that, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) will take a decision and issue the official notice.
The Indian Express reported, quoting sources, that the cap is planned for 110 non scheduled cancer medicines, including 35 patented ones. ETPharma reported that the expert panel is expected to finalise the list by next week.
What is a trade margin, in simple words?
A medicine passes through many hands before it reaches you. The company sells it to a distributor. The distributor sells it to a chemist or a hospital pharmacy. Each one adds some profit on top. The trade margin is the gap between the price at which the medicine is bought for sale and the MRP that the patient finally pays.
Why the government acted now
The PIB release gives some clear numbers. It says about 60 people out of every one lakh people in India are affected by cancer, and the number is rising. Treatment is costly, and families often pay large amounts from their own pockets.
The NPPA studied market data. It found that non scheduled cancer medicines carry an average price mark up of about 170 per cent. In some cases, the mark up was 700 per cent or more.
The release says state authorities in Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Karnataka, along with patients and civil society groups, had raised serious concerns about these high prices.
The Supreme Court had also spoken on this issue last month. As reported by The Indian Express, the court said: “This is carnage. Plain and simple. The cancer drug is priced at an MRP of Rs 27,000 despite being supplied to retailers for Rs 2,700.”
How much can patients save?
The government expects patients to save about Rs 2,500 crore a year. It says prices may fall by up to 70 per cent. But this is the highest possible cut, not the cut on every medicine.
CNBC TV18 noted that the real drop will differ for each medicine. A medicine with a small margin today may not become much cheaper.
Lessons from the 2019 cap
This is not the first time the government has done this. In February 2019, the NPPA capped trade margins on 42 selected non scheduled cancer medicines. According to PIB, that step cut the MRP by up to 91 per cent. It led to reported yearly savings of Rs 984 crore across 526 brands.
Will these medicines stay available?
To make sure supply does not drop, the government has said makers of these medicines must keep their current production levels.
ETPharma reported that once the list is notified, companies will have to put new price stickers on the packs. This is to stop shops from charging the old, higher price.
What chemists and health groups said
The All India Organisation of Chemists and Druggists (AIOCD) welcomed the move, ETPharma reported. The group, which says it represents more than 12 lakh chemists, called it an important step towards making life saving medicines cheaper.
Some health groups said the cap may not be enough for very costly patented medicines. KM Gopakumar of the Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatments told The Indian Express that prices of some cancer medicines rose even after the 2019 cap. He gave the example of ribociclib, a cancer medicine. He said its monthly cost rose from Rs 58,000 in 2022 to Rs 78,000 in 2025.
When will prices actually come down?
The policy has been approved, but the new prices are not yet in force. First, the DGHS committee must finalise the list. Then the NPPA must issue the notice. The Indian Express quoted sources in the Department of Pharmaceuticals as saying the move is likely to come into effect in about 10 days. CNBC TV18 said there is no official date yet.
Until then, do not stop or change any cancer medicine on your own because of price news. If you want to learn how to lower your risk of this disease, you can read our guide on ways to reduce your cancer risk. Families worried about treatment bills may also find our guide to the best health insurance plans in India useful.
Short FAQ
Will all cancer medicines become cheaper?
No. Only the non scheduled cancer medicines that make the final list will come under the 30 per cent margin cap. Scheduled cancer medicines already have government ceiling prices.
Will every medicine become 70 per cent cheaper?
No. Up to 70 per cent is the biggest expected cut. Many medicines may see a smaller fall, depending on how high their margins are today.
Does this cover imported and patented medicines?
Yes. The government says the cap covers branded and generic, Indian and imported, and patented and non patented medicines.
Cancer patients and survivors fight a long battle, and lower medicine bills can make that fight a little easier. You can read more about their courage on National Cancer Survivors Day.
Sources
- Press Information Bureau (Department of Pharmaceuticals), Government Expands Cancer Medicine Price Controls; Cancer Patients Expected to Save Rs 2,500 Crore Annually, 8 October 2026
- The Indian Express (Anonna Dutt), Govt to cap cancer drug trade margins at 30 per cent: MRPs may drop by 70 per cent, 8 October 2026
- ETPharma (The Economic Times), Centre caps cancer drugs trade margins at 30 per cent; DGHS panel to prescribe final list, 9 October 2026
- CNBC TV18, Cancer drugs price cap: 10 FAQs on India’s new rule, 9 October 2026