After Supreme Court Push, Centre To Cap Cancer Drug Margins At 30%

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Supreme Court today that the Union government has decided to cap trade margins on cancer drugs at 30% of their maximum retail price (MRP).Mehta told a bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sandeep Mehta that the government would announce a list of cancer medicines to which the cap would apply. The list would be updated periodically to include additional anti-cancer medicines in response to market developments and public health considerations.The Union government's decision follows the Court's sharp observations during earlier hearings about cancer medicines being sold at MRPs up to ten times their price to retailers (PTR).According to an affidavit filed by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in the pending proceedings, the decision was taken at a meeting of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) on October 8.