Cancer drug price caps now in force: 679 brands cut over 50%, saving ₹3,540 crore a year

New price caps on 137 anti-cancer drugs came into force on 9 November, and the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) says the revised prices will save consumers about ₹3,540 crore a year.

As of 8 November, 85 pharmaceutical companies had reported revised maximum retail prices (MRPs) for 1,364 anti-cancer formulations covering 121 drugs. Some 679 brands had cut prices by more than 50%, and the biggest reported cut was 96.45%, the NPPA said. The estimated annual saving is ₹3,540.38 crore.

How the cap works

The NPPA, which works under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, capped trade margins on the MRP of the drugs on the recommendation of an expert committee set up by the Directorate General of Health Services on 17 October 2026.

What patients can do

• Check the revised MRP printed on the pack, or look it up on the Pharma Sahi Daam mobile app or the NPPA website (nppa.gov.in).
• No chemist or hospital pharmacy can charge more than the revised MRP.
• To complain about overcharging, use the Pharma Jan Samadhan portal.

The numbers are higher than those reported earlier in the week because more companies have since filed their new prices; BDT will update the count as the department does.

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Source: official release by the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers : Department of Pharmaceuticals, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (09 NOV 2026 11:51AM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Revised MRPs of 1,364 Anti-Cancer Formulations Come into Effect from Today.