Current Affairs

Sign in
राज्यव्यवस्था आणि शासनGS2
GS2

Supreme Court slams exorbitant pricing of essential cancer drugs

Source:The Hindu ↗

हे का महत्त्वाचे आहे

This Supreme Court observation highlights critical issues concerning public health, access to affordable medicines, marketization of healthcare, and the effectiveness of drug price regulation mechanisms in India.

सारांश

The Supreme Court of India strongly criticized the overpricing of essential cancer drugs, describing it as 'broad daylight dacoity'. The observations highlight systemic concerns regarding pharmaceutical pricing, regulatory enforcement by bodies like the NPPA, and the severe financial burden of critical healthcare on patients.

मुख्य मुद्दे

  • The Supreme Court slammed the exorbitant overpricing of essential cancer drugs, equating it to a 'broad daylight dacoity'.
  • The case highlights severe gaps in drug price regulation, affordability, and accessibility of life-saving medications for critical illnesses like cancer in India.
  • The ruling underscores the critical mandate of regulatory bodies like the NPPA in keeping essential drug prices in check to prevent exploitation of vulnerable patients.
  • Affordability of healthcare remains a major barrier to universal health coverage and social equity in India.

महत्त्वाच्या संज्ञा

Drugs (Prices Control) Order

A statutory order issued by the Central Government under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, empowering the state to fix ceiling prices for essential medicines and regulate pharmaceutical profiteering in India.

UPSC context

Important for GS Paper II (Government Policies & Health Interventions) and GS Paper III (Economy - Industry & Pricing Regulation).

Source
National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM)

A curated list of essential medicines compiled by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, serving as the benchmark for drug price regulation and public healthcare provisioning in India.

UPSC context

Crucial for GS Paper II under 'Health, Vulnerable Sections, and Government Policies & Interventions'.

Source
National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)

An expert regulatory body under the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers responsible for implementing the DPCO, fixing and enforcing ceiling prices, and penalizing drug overpricing.

UPSC context

Tests regulatory governance, statutory bodies, and administrative mechanisms in GS Paper II and III.

Source

पूर्वपरीक्षा सापळा

All life-saving cancer medications sold in India are strictly price-regulated by the government under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order.

Aspirants often assume all life-saving drugs are automatically price-capped, whereas price controls apply only when formulations are explicitly listed in the National List of Essential Medicines (NLEM).

संबंधित स्थिर संकल्पना

Economy Government Policies / Health

What are the statutory mandates and powers of the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA)?

  • Establishment: Established in 1997 as an attached office of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
  • DPCO Enforcement: Enforces and implements the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO) to fix and revise prices of scheduled formulations.
  • Non-scheduled Monitoring: Monitors the prices of non-scheduled drugs to ensure they do not increase beyond specified percentage thresholds annually.
  • Recovery Powers: Recovers overcharged amounts from pharmaceutical companies along with statutory interest for non-compliance.

आंतर-विषय नमुने

  • Judicial Activism vs. Statutory Drug Regulation

    Judicial activism on drug pricing exposes administrative gaps in NPPA enforcement, highlighting tensions between statutory welfare mandates and pharmaceutical industry lobbying.

  • Out-of-pocket Health Expenditure and Poverty Traps

    High out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure on oncology drugs directly undermines SDG 3 (Good Health) and deepens poverty among vulnerable socio-economic groups.

NPPA price ceilings + NLEM inclusion criteria + DPCO enforcement mechanisms will be clubbed into a multi-statement prelims question.

संबंधित PYQ · 1

संबंधित PYQ · 1

  • 2024MainsGS2

    In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketisation of the system. Suggest some measures through which the State can enhance the reach of public healthcare at the grassroots level.