New Delhi: The cost of cancer treatment poses a major financial challenge for patients and their families. In such a situation, the Central Government has taken important steps to control the prices of non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines. Under the system announced by the government, a provision has been made to limit the trading margin on the sale of these medicines to 30 percent of the maximum retail price (MRP). This is expected to reduce the prices of many cancer medicines and provide financial relief to the patients.

How will the prices of medicines be controlled?

According to information from the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, the objective of this arrangement is to stop excessive profits in the sale of non-scheduled cancer drugs. Earlier, there were complaints of huge difference between the purchase price and maximum retail price of some medicines.

The new system can help in increasing transparency in drug prices and reducing the financial burden on patients. However, it is not necessary that the price of every medicine is reduced by 70 percent. The actual shortfall will depend on the prevailing price of the concerned medicine, purchase price and applicable regulations.

Branded and generic medicines also included in the scope

The stated arrangement aims to cover various categories of non-scheduled cancer drugs. This may include branded and generic medicines as well as medicines manufactured in the country and imported. The purpose of the rule is to reduce unnecessary cost burden on patients depending on the type or brand of the drug.

To maintain the availability of medicines, companies will also have to follow the instructions to continuing production, so that the supply in the market is not affected due to price control.

Such a step has already been taken

To control the prices of cancer drugs, the government also imposed a trading margin limit on a group of non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs in 2019. At that time, the prices of many brands had come down and it was reported that the patients were getting financial benefits. Now the aim of expanding the scope of this policy is to bring more medicines under its benefits.

What will be the benefit to patients?

If price controls are implemented effectively, patients undergoing cancer treatment may get relief in purchasing medicines. There is a possibility of benefit especially to those families who have to spend on expensive medicines for a long time.