- Government has announced that maximum retail price(MRP) of 390 non-scheduled cancer medicines have been reduced by up to 87%
- Earlier,National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) had invoked powers under Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 and brought 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs under price control by capping trade margin at 30%.
- The trade margin is the difference between the price at which manufacturers sell drugs to stockists (and distributors) and maximum retail price (MRP) to patients.
- NPPA is an independent body set up in 1997 under Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.Its mandate is to fix/revise controlled bulk drugs prices and formulations, enforce prices and availability of medicines under Drug(Price Control) order, 2013.
- Functions of NPPA are:(a) To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (b) Deal with all legal matters arising out of the decisions of the Authority (C) To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages and (d)To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulation
