Cancer drugs may get up to 70% cheaper as govt fixes trade margins on non-scheduled medicines at 30%

The government has announced a cap on trade margins for non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs at 30%. This move is expected to lower the prices of cancer medications by 20 to 70%. Officials anticipate substantial annual savings for patients reaching approximately ₹2,500 crore. The initiative aims to enhance affordability and accessibility while curbing excessive trade markups. Concerns have been raised regarding the effectiveness of such measures in making treatments affordable.