India plans cancer drug price caps before Supreme Court hearing
Big news for anyone affected by cancer: the Indian government is about to announce new price limits on several cancer drugs.
Union Health Minister JP Nadda will share the details ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on October 12.
The main goal? To tackle the huge gap between what retailers pay and what patients are actually charged, a problem recently highlighted by the court.
Indian officials seek expanded price checks
Back in 2019, India capped trade margins at 30% on 42 non-scheduled anti-cancer drugs, which made them much more affordable.
This added to earlier controls on 57 anti-cancer drugs already under price control as scheduled formulations.
Now, with the prime minister's office keeping a close eye, officials want to expand these price checks.
Experts point out that high drug prices aren't just about company profits: supply chain costs matter too.
Supreme Court probes forced hospital sales
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is also looking into claims that some private hospitals force patients to buy medicines only from their own pharmacies.
This adds another layer of concern as India works toward fairer access and pricing for lifesaving cancer treatments.