Ranchi: Patients in the city have yet to benefit fully from the Centre’s decision to reduce the prices of several cancer medicines, with some pharmacies continuing to sell the drugs at their earlier maximum retail prices (MRPs).




Retailers said they were selling existing stocks at the old MRPs and would introduce the revised prices once the stocks were exhausted. The development has delayed the benefit of the price reduction for patients undergoing expensive cancer treatment.




The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) has capped the trade margin at 30% of the MRP for 137 identified non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under the Trade Margin Rationalisation scheme . The revised prices came into effect on Monday.




Ranjit Mahto, a medicine retailer in Ratu Road, said his shop was still selling some anti-cancer medicines at the old MRPs as it had existing stocks. “The existing stock is likely to be exhausted in a day or two. After that, we will sell the medicines at the revised rates,” he said.




Joint director of the drug control department Sumant Kumar Tiwary told TOI that retailers could sell existing stocks at the old MRPs until they were exhausted, while wholesalers had been directed to return their old stocks to distributors.




“Wholesalers cannot sell old stocks to retailers after Nov 9. Legal action will be initiated against violators under the relevant provisions of the law,” Tiwary said.




He said hospitals holding old stocks had also been directed to return them to distributors instead of selling them to patients. Wholesalers have also been warned against altering MRPs by pasting revised labels on existing stocks.




The department plans to conduct surprise inspections across Jharkhand to check compliance with the revised pricing norms and prevent overcharging.




Health minister Irfan Ansari welcomed the move, saying the department was working to strengthen cancer care facilities in the state. He said the govt was also working towards ensuring CT scan and PET scan facilities at all district hospitals.




According to the department, MRPs of more than 1,000 formulations have been reduced, with some prices falling by over 50%.