New Delhi: In a move that will benefit cancer patients across the country immensely, the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), has slashed the retail price of anti-cancer drugs by 87%. NPPA in an independent body of experts under the Union ministry of chemicals and fertilizers that monitors and controls drug prices in India.
The drugs include those used in chemotherapy injections. The price of pemetrexed 500 mg injection with brand name Pemxcel used to treat lung cancer is reduced to Rs. 2,800 from Rs. 22,000. A 100 mg of the injection will cost Rs. 800 when compared to Rs. 7,700 it cost earlier.
Retail price of epirubicin with brand name Epichlor will now cost Rs. 276.8 for 10 mg against Rs. 561 injection. 50 mg will cost Rs. 960 against Rs. 2,662.
Similarly, the price of erlotinib 100 mg for a strip of 10 tablets with brand name Erlotaz, will cost Rs 1,840 against the old price of Rs 6,600. 150mg strength will cost Rs 2,400 against the previous price of Rs 8,800.
Likewise, the price of 0.25 mg and 0.5 mg doses of everolimus, sold under the brand name of Lanolimus, is now down to Rs 406 from Rs 726 and Rs 739 from Rs 1,452.
Drug companies have not responded on the price cut by NPPA. The companies are asked not to cut down on the production of the drugs because of the lowering of price.
This is the second time since May that NPPA is announcing a price slash for anti-cancer drugs.
