NPPA Revises Prices of 543 Anti-Cancer Medicine Brands

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, revised the Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) of 543 anti-cancer medicine brands on 28 October 2026. The revised prices are scheduled to take effect on 9 November 2026.

Drug price regulation in India

The NPPA was established in 1997 and functions under the Department of Pharmaceuticals. It monitors the availability of medicines, tracks shortages and enforces price controls under the Drug Prices Control Order (DPCO). The DPCO, 2013, was issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. It provides for ceiling prices of scheduled formulations and price monitoring of non-scheduled formulations.

The National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM) provides the basis for identifying medicines covered by scheduled price control. Prices of non-scheduled formulations are monitored under the DPCO, including a limit on annual MRP increases.

Revised prices and effective date

The updated list includes price information submitted by pharmaceutical companies up to 27 October 2026. The NPPA said the list would be revised further as manufacturers submit updated prices for non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines.

The revision followed an NPPA announcement on 17 October 2026 concerning trade margin rationalisation for 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines. The stated objective of the measure was to curb excessive trade margins across the medicine supply chain.

Price changes in selected medicines

Some generic and biosimilar anti-cancer brands recorded price reductions exceeding 90%. The price of Palbociclib brand Palbopro fell by 93%, from ₹40,421.33 to ₹2,720 for 21 capsules. Thiotepa 100 mg injection brand Samtepa fell by 91%, from ₹80,071.86 to ₹7,150.33 per vial.

The estimated annual savings for patients from the revision are approximately ₹2,500 crore. Prices of some originator medicines, including MSD Pharmaceuticals’ pembrolizumab brand Keytruda and AstraZeneca’s Tagrisso, remained unchanged.

Important Facts for Exams

• The NPPA was established in 1997 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals.
• The Drug Prices Control Order, 2013, operates under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.
• The National List of Essential Medicines is used to identify medicines subject to scheduled price control.
• Palbociclib is a medicine used in the treatment of certain types of breast cancer.

The revised MRPs for the 543 brands take effect on 9 November 2026. The NPPA’s updated price list includes information submitted up to 27 October 2026.