Govt orders price reduction of key anti-cancer drugs

New Delhi, Oct 29: The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has mandated a reduction in the maximum retail price (MRP) of three critical anti-cancer drugs: Trastuzumab, Osimertinib, and Durvalumab. This directive, issued on October 28, 2024, follows recent government measures aimed at lowering costs for these medicines.

The Union Budget for 2024-25 included an exemption from customs duty on these three drugs, a measure formalised by the Department of Revenue through Notification 30/2024 on July 23, 2024, which effectively eliminated customs duties on their import. Further tax relief came in early October, when the GST on these medicines was reduced from 12% to 5%, as specified in Notification 05/2024, effective from October 10, 2024.

The NPPA’s recent directive requires manufacturers to pass on the benefits of these reduced taxes and duties to consumers by lowering the MRP of these drugs. Drug manufacturers are instructed to update their price lists and notify dealers, State drug controllers, and relevant government bodies of the revised prices. They must also report these changes to the NPPA immediately.