← 30 September 2026's Current Affairs · Polity GA Prelims ★★★☆☆ Mains ★★★☆☆
Supreme Court Questions Steep Mark-ups on Cancer Drugs
ଖବରରେ କାହିଁକି?
Cancer drug mark-ups, 'carnage' says SC: the NPPA and DPCO 2013 ceiling-price rule GS-II answers need
The Supreme Court criticised steep cancer-drug mark-ups and said private hospitals behave like industries.
Why it matters: general awareness
What you need to know
2 ମିନିଟ
The Supreme Court has questioned steep mark-ups on cancer drugs and described the pricing disparity as 'carnage', while hearing petitions that seek regulation of prices of drugs, medical equipment and generic medicines.
In a separate remark the Court observed that private hospitals function like industries rather than service providers.
The right to health has been read by the Court into the right to life under Article 21.
ଉତ୍ସ: Topper IAS editorial (PIB / The Hindu / Indian Express)
ମୁଖ୍ୟ ତଥ୍ୟ
Remember these
- The Supreme Court called the steep mark-ups on cancer drugs 'carnage' while hearing petitions seeking price regulation of drugs, medical equipment and generic medicines.
- The Court remarked that private hospitals function like industries rather than service providers.
- The right to health is read into the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution.
- NPPA (National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority) fixes ceiling prices of scheduled medicines under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
- DPCO 2013 is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, not the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
ପ୍ରିଲିମ୍ସ · ମେନ୍ସ
How the exam will ask it
ପ୍ରିଲିମ୍ସ
- The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixes and revises ceiling prices of scheduled drugs under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
- The Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955; the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 deals with quality and licensing.
- The Supreme Court has read the right to health into the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21.
- Article 47, a Directive Principle, directs the State to raise the level of nutrition and public health.
ମେନ୍ସ
GS-II (Governance, Health, Judiciary) and GS-III (Pharma pricing): steep mark-ups on cancer drugs raise out-of-pocket health costs, which challenges the Article 21 right to health. The DPCO 2013 framework under the Essential Commodities Act empowers NPPA to cap prices of scheduled drugs, yet trade margins on non-scheduled drugs, medical devices and hospital charges remain weakly regulated. The way forward includes wider trade-margin rationalisation, price transparency in private hospitals, promotion of generics and stronger enforcement, while balancing affordability with industry viability.
Quick recall
Answer before you reveal
With reference to the regulation of drug prices in India, consider the following statements:
- The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority fixes ceiling prices of scheduled medicines under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013.
- The Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013 has been issued under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
ଉତ୍ତର ଦେଖନ୍ତୁ
ଉତ୍ତର: A — Correct: 1 only — Statement 1 is correct, as NPPA fixes ceiling prices of scheduled drugs under DPCO 2013, and statement 2 is false because DPCO is issued under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. • 2 only — wrong: Statement 2 is false since the Order is an Essential Commodities Act instrument, not one under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, so '2 only' cannot hold. • Both 1 and 2 — wrong: Both cannot be correct because statement 2 names the wrong parent Act; the Drugs and Cosmetics Act governs quality and licensing, not price control. • Neither 1 nor 2 — wrong: Neither cannot be correct because statement 1 accurately describes NPPA's function of fixing ceiling prices.
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