Karnataka Urges Centre to Cap Prices on Essential Non-Cancer Medicines

Following the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority's approval to cap trade margins on non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines at 30%, Karnataka urged the Centre to extend price caps to cardiac and kidney drugs.

The Centre estimates that the 30% trade-margin cap on anti-cancer drugs could reduce MRPs by 20% to 70% and save patients approximately ₹2,500 crore.

Karnataka issued an advisory circular requiring healthcare institutions to disclose purchase costs and MRPs in patient bills starting November 1, following inspections that uncovered mark-ups across 253 medicines.