Health · Healthcare & Policy · 1 day ago
Karnataka urges wider price caps on high-cost medicines
Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader has urged the Union government to control prices of more high-cost, life-saving medicines.
The request follows the national pricing authority’s in-principle approval of a 30% cap on trade margins for certain cancer medicines not already covered by scheduled price controls.
The medicines covered have not yet been finalised, and an expert committee is expected to recommend a list by October 14.
The Centre estimates the cancer-drug measure could lower some prices by 20% to 70% and save patients around ₹2,500 crore.
Karnataka wants similar controls for costly medicines used to treat heart and kidney diseases.
The State says inspections found large gaps between what medicines cost to buy and what patients were charged.
It has also advised healthcare institutions to show medicine purchase costs and maximum retail prices on patient bills from November 1, though the instruction is advisory.
Karnataka has urged the Union government to extend medicine price controls beyond cancer drugs to high-cost medicines used for cardiac and kidney diseases.
The call follows the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority’s in-principle approval to cap trade margins on certain non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines at 30% of their maximum retail price.
The NPPA approved the measure at a meeting on October 8, subject to finalising the list of medicines it will cover.
An expert committee under the Directorate General of Health Services is expected to recommend which anti-cancer medicines should be included and submit its report by October 14.
The Centre estimates the measure could reduce the maximum retail prices of several anti-cancer medicines by 20% to 70% and save patients around ₹2,500 crore.
Karnataka has also asked hospitals to disclose medicine purchase costs and maximum retail prices in patient bills; the advisory instructions are proposed to take effect from November 1.
- Who
- Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader and the Karnataka government
- What
- Karnataka is seeking wider price controls on high-cost, life-saving medicines beyond anti-cancer drugs.
- When
- October 10, 2026; the NPPA gave in-principle approval on October 8.
- Where
- Bengaluru, Karnataka, and the national level in India
- Why
- To reduce patients’ treatment costs and address differences between medicine procurement costs and the prices charged to patients.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
price rationalisation should translate into direct savings for patients.
Karnataka wrote to Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda seeking national action on medicine pricing after State inspections found substantial differences between procurement costs and prices charged to patients.
Karnataka issued an advisory circular asking healthcare institutions to disclose medicine purchase or landing costs and maximum retail prices in patient bills.
The NPPA gave in-principle approval to cap trade margins on certain non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines at 30% of their maximum retail price.
The expert committee is expected to submit its recommendations on which anti-cancer medicines should be covered.
Karnataka’s advisory instructions on disclosing medicine costs in patient bills are proposed to take effect.
- Proposed trade-margin cap
- 30% of maximum retail price for certain non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines
- Potential reduction in prices
- 20% to 70% for several anti-cancer medicines, according to the Centre
- Estimated patient savings
- Around ₹2,500 crore
- Medicines and consumables identified by Karnataka
- 253
- Expert committee report deadline
- October 14, 2026
Sources
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