Despite the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) setting a trade markup limit of 30% on the ex-factory price in February 2019, anticancer drugs have a markup of up to 700%.
An analysis shows that most drugs for which the NPPA set a trade markup ceiling of 30% in February 2019 had markups ranging from 100% to 700%, according to a list compiled by the authority in 2026.
Referencing this data, the All-India Drug Action Network group, which deals with the issue of affordable medicines, noted that a one-time reduction in the maximum retail price (MRP) is an ineffective policy tool if there is no requirement for the permanent maintenance of markup limits and consistent monitoring.
The activist group points out that one-off restrictions provide only limited relief.