📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ginevrajocosa88
Health
Central govt price cap to slash cancer drug costs by up to 80%, says Karnataka health minister
✍️ Mangalore Today
🗓 10 Oct 2026, 09:02 PM
👁 9
The Union government’s new price cap on cancer medicines is projected to cut prices by 40‑80%, according to Karnataka Health Minister Khader.
The Union health ministry has announced a price ceiling on a selected list of oncology drugs, aiming to make them significantly more affordable for patients across India.
Karnataka Health Minister Khader told Mangalore Today that the cap is expected to lower drug prices by 40 to 80 percent, depending on the specific medication.
The decision follows long‑standing pressure from patient groups and aligns with the government’s broader strategy to curb high pharmaceutical costs.
Affected medicines will be placed under the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s schedule, and manufacturers must comply from the date stipulated by the authority.
Officials anticipate that the reduced prices will improve access to cancer treatment, especially in states where out‑of‑pocket expenses have been a major barrier.
Karnataka Health Minister Khader told Mangalore Today that the cap is expected to lower drug prices by 40 to 80 percent, depending on the specific medication.
The decision follows long‑standing pressure from patient groups and aligns with the government’s broader strategy to curb high pharmaceutical costs.
Affected medicines will be placed under the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s schedule, and manufacturers must comply from the date stipulated by the authority.
Officials anticipate that the reduced prices will improve access to cancer treatment, especially in states where out‑of‑pocket expenses have been a major barrier.