States » NorthPosted at: Nov 15 2026 3:25AM


Shanta Kumar welcomes reduction in prices of 137 Cancer drugs, seeks review of all medicines

Palampur, Nov 14 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and former union Minister Shanta Kumar today welcomed the Centre's decision to reduce the prices of around 137 cancer medicines, saying the move would provide annual relief worth Rs 3,000 crore to cancer patients across the country.
In a statement issued here, he congratulated and thanked the Central Government for its decision but questioned why patients had been subjected to an alleged annual financial burden of Rs 3,000 crore earlier and who was responsible for it.
Shanta Kumar said that during his tenure in the Rajya Sabha, when he headed the Standing Committee on Commerce, the committee had conducted an in-depth study of medicine prices for an entire year.
The committee had observed in its report that the maximum retail price (MRP) of medicines involved substantial exploitation of consumers. It had recommended that medicine prices be fixed by allowing a maximum profit margin of 20 per cent over their cost price.
Another recommendation was that doctors should be directed to prescribe only generic medicines. He said generic and branded medicines were of equivalent quality, but their prices differed enormously.
Citing an example from the committee's report, he said a cancer medicine that was available under a branded name for Rs 6,000 was priced at just Rs 600 when manufactured as a generic medicine by an Indian company.
Welcoming the reduction in cancer drug prices, Shanta Kumar said similar excessive margins continued to burden patients purchasing other medicines.
He urged the Centre to undertake a comprehensive review and rationalisation of prices of all medicines on similar lines to ensure affordable healthcare for the common people. UNI AR SS
Tags: #Shanta Kumar welcomes reduction in prices of 137 Cancer drugs# seeks review of all medicines
More News

DC Kangra reviews preparations for Himachal Assembly's winter session at Tapovan

15 Nov 2026 | 3:29 AM

Dharamshala, Nov 14 (UNI) Deputy Commissioner Kangra Hemraj Bairwa to day inspected the preparations for the winter session of the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, scheduled to be held at Tapovan from November 16 to 21.

see more..

Shanta Kumar welcomes reduction in prices of 137 Cancer drugs, seeks review of all medicines

15 Nov 2026 | 3:25 AM

Palampur, Nov 14 (UNI) Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister and former union Minister Shanta Kumar today welcomed the Centre's decision to reduce the prices of around 137 cancer medicines, saying the move would provide annual relief worth Rs 3,000 crore to cancer patients across the country.

see more..

Congress betrayed Himachal youth with 10 guarantees, failed to deliver jobs: Anurag Thakur

15 Nov 2026 | 3:17 AM

Dharamshala, Nov 14 ( UNI) Former union Minister and Hamirpur MP Anurag Singh Thakur today accused the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh of betraying the youth by failing to fulfil its election promises, particularly the guarantee of five lakh government jobs.

see more..

Haryana: Karnal Police arrest 358 in drug trafficking cases, seize over 1 16 tonnes of contraband in 2026

15 Nov 2026 | 3:05 AM

Karnal, Nov 14 (UNI) Karnal Police have arrested 358 people in 196 cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act this year, seizing more than 1.16 tonnes of narcotic substances and opium plants in a crackdown on drug trafficking, officials said today.

see more..

Haryana: CM Saini meets Punjab PCS aspirants, turns recruitment controversy into election issue

15 Nov 2026 | 2:59 AM

Panchkula, Nov 14 (UNI) Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today stepped into the escalating controversy over alleged irregularities in Punjab's civil services recruitment, telling a group of aggrieved aspirants that the people of Punjab would deliver justice through their votes in the coming Assembly elections.

see more..