India's Supreme Court has voiced concern that the maximum retail price (MRP) printed on a cancer drug is ten times the price at which the maker supplies it to retailers, and has asked the central government to respond, Sangbad Pratidin reports.
A case on drug price control, generic prescribing and regulation of medical devices came before the bench of Justice Nath and Justice Mehta. The hearing was told that a cancer drug retailers buy for Rs 2,700 can carry an MRP of up to Rs 27,000. Calling it 'carnage', the bench asked: 'Why a tenfold markup? Where does all this money go? Who profits?'
The judges observed that corporate hospitals often make patients buy medicines from their own pharmacies, and that when treatment is paid for under government schemes such as Ayushman Bharat, taxpayers ultimately bear the extra cost. The court also questioned singling out some drugs as essential: if every medicine is ultimately essential, why not cap the trade margin at 16 percent across the board?
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Centre, agreed with the judges and said the government would respond after consulting the officials concerned. The two judges agreed that the same margin rules should apply to all medicines, cancer drugs included.
The report notes that the government has cut cancer drug prices in several budgets, yet buyers' experience at the counter has been different. It was written by Kishore Ghosh.
Source: Sangbad Pratidin
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