Pariksha SaathiNPPA releases revised MRPs for 543 brands of anti-cancer medicines, effective from 9 November 2026
The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has released a list of 543 brands of anti-cancer medicines with their revised Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs), which will be effective from 9 November 2026, according to a release of 28 October 2026. The list reflects the information submitted by companies up to 27 October 2026 and will be updated as and when manufacturers submit revised prices of non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs; the NPPA portal is updated on a continual basis. Among the examples in the release, the MRP of a pack of 10 tablets of ANARZOLE (Anastrozole 1 mg) is revised from Rs 695.76 to Rs 73.00, and that of a 100 mg/4 ml injection vial of BEVACIZAB (Bevacizumab) from Rs 21,767.70 to Rs 5,930.13. On 17 October 2026, NPPA had announced Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) of 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs in public interest, to address excessive trade margins, make cancer treatment more affordable and improve access to anti-cancer medicines, and had instructed manufacturers to submit their revised lists. The 137 drugs include immunotherapy medicines used in the treatment of over 20 types of cancer, Denosumab, used by breast and prostate cancer patients, Pegfilgrastim, used to prevent neutropenia in cancer patients, and Bevacizumab, which is approved for the treatment of colon, ovarian and cervical cancers.
Drafted with AI assistance from the official PIB release linked above and checked against it by a second AI pass. Not line-edited by a human.
Learning context
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on 10 August 2021, the Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertilizers, Mansukh Mandaviya, said that, based on the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Policy (NPPP), 2012 and the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 (DPCO, 2013), NPPA fixes the ceiling prices of scheduled drugs specified in the first schedule of DPCO, 2013 and monitors the prices of non-scheduled drugs, to ensure that their MRP does not increase by more than 10% during the preceding twelve months. The key principles of price regulation under NPPP, 2012 are essentiality of drugs, control of prices of formulations and market-based pricing. NPPA had put a cap on the trade margin of 42 select non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines under the 'Trade Margin Rationalization (TMR)' approach, resulting in a reduction of up to 90% in the MRP of 526 brands of these medicines, and had brought 106 non-scheduled anti-diabetic and cardiovascular drugs under price control by invoking extraordinary powers in public interest.
Check yourself: under which approach did NPPA cap the trade margin of 42 select non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, and by up to how much did the MRP of 526 brands fall?
The Trade Margin Rationalization (TMR) approach; by up to 90%.
Revision task: from this release, note the number of brands, the date the revised MRPs take effect, the cut-off date for company submissions, the date and scope of the TMR announcement and the drugs it names; from the note, the policy and order on which NPPA's price regulation rests, the 10% rule for non-scheduled drugs and the earlier trade-margin cap on 42 medicines.
Test yourself
For how many brands of anti-cancer medicines has the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) released revised MRPs, effective from 9 November 2026?
Show the answer
Answer: 543
NPPA has released a list of 543 brands of anti-cancer medicines with revised MRPs, effective from 9 November 2026, reflecting information submitted by companies up to 27 October 2026; the list will be updated as manufacturers submit revised prices. 137 is the number of non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs (not brands) for which NPPA announced Trade Margin Rationalisation (TMR) on 17 October 2026.
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