Cancer treatment is set to become significantly more affordable in India, where new government regulations could reduce retail prices of 137 essential cancer medicines by up to 70%.
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped trade margins on these medicines at 30%, aiming to make life-saving treatments more accessible while ensuring that manufacturers maintain production and supply.
The new pricing rules take effect on 9 November 2026 and expand a successful 2019 initiative that reduced prices by up to 90% across 526 brands of cancer medicines. Hospitals, pharmacies and manufacturers must publish revised prices and ensure patients benefit from the reductions. The government will monitor compliance and maintain uninterrupted supplies, helping ease the financial burden of cancer treatment for patients and their families.
