To ensure affordable access to essential medicines, the government controls their prices.
Just before Diwali, it announced a major price reduction for three crucial cancer treatments, providing much-needed relief to cancer patients.
The Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for Trastuzumab, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab will be lowered, following orders from the government.
NPPA’s Role in Price Reduction of Essential Cancer Drugs
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), responsible for regulating medicine prices, has directed the reduction of MRPs for these three cancer medicines.
This move aligns with the government’s commitment to providing affordable healthcare and ensuring essential medicines are accessible to all.
Recently, the GST on these medicines was cut from 12% to 5%, and the 2024-25 Union Budget eliminated customs duty on them.
The government expects these tax reductions to directly reflect in the lowered prices of these medicines.
Following a notification from the Revenue Department of the Finance Ministry on July 23, the customs duty on these drugs was officially set to zero.
New Prices Effective from October 10
With the GST rate cut, manufacturers were required to lower the MRP from October 10, 2024.
The government instructed them to inform dealers, state drug controllers, and relevant authorities about this change.
Cancer cases are on the rise in India, with a recent Lancet study showing over 14 lakh cancer patients.
In 2020, this number was 13.9 lakhs, rising to 14.2 lakhs in 2021, and reaching 14.6 lakhs in 2022.
