Karnataka seeks wider price caps beyond cancer medicines on other high-cost life-saving drugs
The Karnataka government is urging the Union government to expand price caps on life-saving drugs beyond anti-cancer medications to include treatments for cardiac and kidney diseases. This follows the NPPA's recent decision to rationalize trade margins on non-scheduled cancer drugs to reduce patient costs.
Why it matters
This reflects ongoing efforts to improve healthcare affordability and address the high cost of essential medicines in the Indian public health system.
Karnataka has urged the Centre to extend price-control measures beyond cancer medicines to other high-cost, life-saving drugs used to treat cardiac and kidney diseases, following the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s (NPPA) in-principle approval to cap trade margins on certain non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines at 30% of their maximum retail price (MRP).
Addressing presspersons in Bengaluru, Health Minister U.T. Khader welcomed the move and called for its swift implementation, saying price rationalisation should translate into direct savings for patients. He urged the Union government to extend similar measures to other essential medicines where high treatment costs place a burden on patients.
At its meeting on October 8, the NPPA gave in-principle approval to rationalise trade margins on non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines identified under Paragraph 19 of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. The measure is subject to finalisation of the list of medicines to be covered.
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