Cancer Drug Prices Cut from 9 Nov 2026: 137 Medicines, Up to 96% Lower MRP, How to Check

From 9 November 2026, revised and lower maximum retail prices (MRP) apply to 137 anti-cancer medicines, after the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) capped the trade margin on them. According to a Press Information Bureau release of 7 November 2026, 1,031 formulations have already shown a lower MRP, 600 brands are cheaper by more than 50%, the biggest cut is 96.45%, and consumers are estimated to save about ₹3,502.31 crore a year.

What has changed for cancer medicines from 9 November 2026?

The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), which works under the Department of Pharmaceuticals in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has fixed a limit on the trade margin on the maximum retail price (MRP) of 137 anti-cancer drugs. The Press Information Bureau (PIB) release is dated 7 November 2026.

The decision follows the recommendations of an expert committee formed on 17 October 2026 by the Directorate General of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The revised prices apply from 9 November 2026, and the legal notification is S.O. 5690(E) dated 17 October 2026.

How many medicines have actually become cheaper?

PIB gives these figures for the companies that have reported so far:

• 76 companies have reported revised MRPs.
• They cover 1,225 formulations under 121 drugs.
• In 1,031 formulations the MRP has come down.
• 600 brands are cheaper by more than 50%.
• The highest reduction is 96.45%.

The release also says that among the 137 identified drugs, 10 to 15 are not yet sold in India. When they are launched, the same trade margin rationalisation will apply to them. The release describes the fall as a notable reduction in the prices of more than 1,000 drugs of different brands.

Which brands show the biggest drops?

The release lists major brands with the old and new MRP. A few examples are below. The old and new prices are as printed in the PIB table.

Medicine	Brand	Old MRP (₹)	New MRP (₹)	Fall
Bevacizumab 100 mg injection	Brixta	25,995.00	3,318.00	about 87%
Abiraterone acetate 250 mg tablet	Abiron	41,250.00	3,218.23	about 92%
Palbociclib 125 mg capsule	Palbopro	40,421.33	2,720.00	about 93%
Enzalutamide 40 mg capsule	Enzapter 40	20,625.00	2,475.60	about 88%
Pemetrexed 500 mg vial	Relitrexed	9,977.00	1,113.00	about 89%
Pertuzumab 420 mg injection	Lupiher 2	83,520.00	37,358.35	about 55%

The percentage column is our own calculation from the two printed prices. The same release gives many more brands for medicines used in breast, prostate, lung, blood and other cancers. Check the full list rather than relying on a table of examples.

How much will patients save in total?

The government’s estimate is that the price cut from 9 November 2026 will save consumers about ₹3,502.31 crore every year. This is a national estimate across all patients, not a promise of a fixed saving for any one household.

For a family, the saving depends on which medicine the doctor has prescribed, which brand the shop supplies, and how long treatment lasts. A patient on one of the injections in the table above can see a large difference per pack, while a patient on a brand with a smaller cut will see a smaller one.

What is a trade margin cap and why does it lower the MRP?

The trade margin is the gap between the price at which a medicine leaves the manufacturer or wholesaler and the price printed as MRP, which covers the earnings of the distribution chain. By limiting this margin, NPPA pulls the printed MRP down.

The notice says these are non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, meaning they are not under the fixed ceiling price list. The release calls the margin rationalisation an important government step to improve affordability and access to essential cancer care medicines. It stays in force until further orders.

How can you check the correct price?

You can check the applicable prices through two official routes named in the release:

1. The Pharma Sahi Daam mobile application.
2. The NPPA website, www.nppa.gov.in.

Before paying, compare the MRP on the pack and the bill with the revised price for that exact brand and strength. The release also says every retailer, dealer, hospital and institution must prominently display the revised MRP list of anti-cancer drugs on its website and at its premises, so you can also ask to see that list at the counter.

What can you do if a shop charges more?

The release says consumers can report non-compliance or any violation of the revised prices to the Authority. Complaints can be made through:

• Helpline: 1800-11-1255
• Email: monitoring-nppa at gov dot in (written as monitoring-nppa[at]gov[dot]in in the release)
• Post: Deputy Director (Monitoring), NPPA, 3rd Floor, YMCA Cultural Centre Building, 1 Jai Singh Marg, New Delhi 110001

Keep the bill, the pack and a photo of the printed MRP, because a complaint is easier to act on with these. Under the NPPA notification, State Drug Controllers will monitor compliance by manufacturers, dealers, hospitals and medical institutions.

Can manufacturers raise prices again?

The release says manufacturers may take the annual price increase allowed under paragraph 20(1) of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013. This is allowed only if they keep complying with the maximum permissible trade margin of 30%. So the new prices are not frozen forever, but any increase is limited by the Order and the margin rule.

What does the notice not say?

• It does not list all 137 drugs or all 1,225 formulations in the release; only a selection of major brands is given, so you must check your own brand.
• It does not say how many companies have yet to report revised MRPs, or when they will report.
• It does not say that every brand has fallen by the same percentage; the cuts range widely, and some fall by less than 50%.
• It does not say whether free or subsidised supply in government hospitals changes.
• It does not give a date for the next review of these prices.

Treat the saving figure as a government estimate and confirm your prescription brand on the official sources.