Parliamentary panel pushes for price control on more cancer medicines
India's parliamentary committee wants to expand price controls to cover a wider range of cancer treatments—including vaccines, immunotherapy, and oral chemo—to make them more affordable.
Committee head Narain Dass Gupta highlighted that many crucial oncology drugs still aren't regulated under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, leading to excessive and often unaffordable pricing.
Proposal aims to boost access by capping prices
The proposal aims to boost access by capping prices on even more essential anti-cancer medicines.
The committee also called for better quality checks on generic cancer drugs so doctors feel confident prescribing these lower-cost options.
While the number of price-controlled anti-cancer drugs rose from 40 in 2011 to 63 in 2022, the panel says there's still a long way to go in making treatment both affordable and trustworthy.