India slashes cost of cancer drugs after court rules mark-ups are ‘extortion’

Case filed in 2022 by patient unable to afford medicine leads to cap on drug prices for millions who face ruin if diagnosed The Indian government has moved to reduce the price of cancer drugs after a retired bank clerk took her case to the supreme court. From next month, 137 cancer drugs in India will be cheaper as the government tries to tackle the tragedy of poorer patients either forgoing treatment, selling land or falling into debt to meet the high cost of some medicines, which are making large profits for hospitals and pharmacists. Continue reading...

印度最高法院在一位乳腺癌患者提起的訴訟中發現抗癌藥流通環節加價率平均達170%，政府隨後對137種抗癌藥實施30%的加價上限。報道同時呈現了印度低收入家庭因藥價放棄治療、因病致貧的現實，以及民間對醫療體系整體改革的呼吁。