SC Slams 10-Fold Markup on Cancer Drug as 'Carnage'

The Supreme Court on Tuesday condemned the tenfold markup on a cancer drug sold to retailers at Rs 2,700 but priced at Rs 27,000 MRP, calling it "carnage." Hearing petitions on medicine price regulation under the DPCO 2013, the bench asked the Centre to consider a uniform 16 percent margin on all medicines and examine corporate hospitals' practice of forcing patients to buy from their own chemists. The matter returns for hearing on October 12.