Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, hearing two petitions on drug‑price regulation, noted that the printed maximum retail price (MRP) of the cancer drug was ₹27,000 while the price to retailers (PTR) was only ₹2,700 – a disparity the court described as “absolutely shocking”.
The bench warned that patients are forced to sell houses and ornaments to afford treatment, labeling the overpricing “extortion” and “rampage and carnage” that exploits the sick.
One petitioner highlighted the need for mandatory prescription of generic medicines by registered doctors, arguing that fixing MRPs is critical to curb profiteering in the pharmaceutical supply chain.
Representing the Centre, Additional Solicitor General K. M. Nataraj said the government does not view the matter as an adversarial litigation, but the court stressed that price fixation remains a major issue requiring urgent attention.
Both petitions seek a court‑ordered directive for drug manufacturers and retailers to adopt cost‑effective formulations, enforce the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, and prevent unfair trade practices that inflate profits at patients’ expense.
The bench also called for disciplinary action against medical practitioners who fail to prescribe generic medicines, underscoring the systemic nature of the pricing problem.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a further hearing for September 29, 2026, to examine the petitions in detail and consider possible orders to tighten price controls and curb unethical pricing.