NEW DELHI: In a move that could substantially reduce patient bills, govt has decided to cap trade margins at 30% of MRP for all cancer drugs, covering essential, non-scheduled, branded and generic medicines, as well as domestic and patented drugs.This could slash MRPs of life-saving cancer drugs by 20-70%, and result in annual savings of Rs 2,500 crore, while improving affordability and ensuring their continued availability, officials told TOI.The move seeks to address “excessive trade mark-ups” in the anti-cancer medicines market that is valued around Rs 12,500 crore, and covering approximately 225 drugs and 500 formulations. Of this, scheduled cancer drugs account for approximately Rs 2,250 crore, with the rest comprising non-scheduled drugs.The trade margin rationalisation is being done through para 19 of the Drugs Prices Control Order, (DPCO) 2013 that allows govt to fix ceiling or retail price of any drug, or cap trade margins in extraordinary circumstances, and under public interest.MRP of certain life-saving cancer medicines can run into several lakhs for a single dose, adding significantly to patients’ financial burden.An analysis by NPPA indicates that non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs carry an average trade mark-up of approx 170%, with mark-ups of up to 700% in certain cases. It also noted substantial variations in transaction prices across retail, hospital and e-pharmacy channels, including significant differences in discounts from MRP, according to the minutes of the NPPA meeting, accessed by TOI.The pharma department has asked health ministry to constitute an expert committee under Directorate General of Health Services to recommend the list of anti-cancer drugs under the proposed exercise, by Oct 14. The list can be updated periodically.
