CNN Central News & Network-ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: Cancer drugs are set to become cheaper, with the government capping trade margins at 30%.
In a major step aimed at providing relief to patients and families struggling with the high cost of cancer treatment, the central government has decided to limit trade margins on non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs to 30% of the maximum retail price (MRP). According to the government, the move could reduce the prices of some medicines by up to 70% and is estimated to save patients around Rs 2,500 crore annually.
The decision will cover branded and generic non-scheduled cancer drugs, whether manufactured in India or imported, and both patented and non-patented medicines. According to officials, around 110 medicines are planned to be brought under this system, including 35 patented drugs. The final list of medicines will be prepared by an expert committee.
What is a trade margin? A trade margin is the difference between the purchase price of a medicine and the retail price charged to the patient. The objective of capping this difference is to prevent excessive profits in the supply chain and reduce patients’ expenses.
The government has also clarified that manufacturers will have to maintain existing production levels to ensure the availability of medicines. However, the actual reduction in prices will depend on the medicine concerned and the final notified list.
Hashtags: #Health #Bhopal #CancerDrugs #TradeMargin #DrugPrices #AntiCancerMedicines #MRP #CentralGovernment #CancerDrugsToBecome #सरक
