2 hrs ago
Congress Questions Centre Over High Prices of Life-Saving Medicines
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said many patients in India are struggling with the cost of medicines.
He cited a report saying an injection bought for about Rs 74 had an MRP of nearly Rs 4,981.
That price comparison does not show what every patient actually paid.
Ramesh also cited the cost of a cancer medicine course and asked why patients had not received more help.
He said patent laws may give the government ways to make some medicines available.
The Supreme Court separately raised concerns about large markups on medicines sold by hospitals.
It suggested a uniform 16 per cent margin.
The article does not include a response from the Centre to Ramesh’s questions.
Jairam Ramesh accused the Centre of failing to ease patients’ burden from costly medicines.
A report on 214 hospital pharmacies cited a Polymyxin-B injection bought for Rs 74.09 with an MRP of Rs 4,980.94.
Ramesh cited an estimated Rs 58,000 cost for a 21-day course of a medicine for a life-threatening disease and around Rs 10 lakh annually.
He pointed to Sections 92 and 100 of patent law and referred to a Kerala High Court ruling on government use of patented medicines.
The Supreme Court raised concerns about hospital medicine markups and advocated a uniform 16 per cent margin.
- Who
- Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh criticized the Centre; the Supreme Court also raised concerns about medicine markups.
- What
- Ramesh questioned high medicine prices and asked why legal provisions for making patented medicines available had not brought patients relief.
- Where
- The reports discussed hospital pharmacies in Uttar Pradesh and a Kerala High Court ruling.
- When
- Ramesh made the comments on Monday; the article also refers to a Supreme Court hearing the previous Tuesday.
- Why
- Ramesh said patients face a growing burden from expensive medicines and called on the Centre to explain the lack of affordable access.
Congress and court concerns
Centre's position
Medicine prices and patient relief
Congress and court concerns
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said high medicine costs burden patients and urged the Centre to use existing patent-law provisions to improve access. The Supreme Court also expressed concern about steep hospital markups.
Centre's position
The article reports no response from the Centre to Ramesh’s questions about delays or medicine affordability.
Key facts
- Polymyxin-B procurement price
- An inspection report cited a purchase price of Rs 74.09 per injection.
- Polymyxin-B listed MRP
- The same report cited an MRP of Rs 4,980.94; this does not establish what every patient paid.
- Inspection scope
- The report described inspections of 214 hospital pharmacies.
- Cancer medicine course
- Ramesh cited an estimated cost of about Rs 58,000 for a 21-day course and around Rs 10 lakh annually.
- Patent-law provisions raised
- Ramesh pointed to Sections 92 and 100.
- Supreme Court concern
- The court discussed a cancer drug with an MRP of Rs 27,000 supplied to retailers for Rs 2,700, and advocated a uniform 16 per cent margin.
Quotes
Supreme Court bench
Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta, hearing concerns about medicine markups.
“The Kerala High Court has clearly said that under Section 100, the government can manufacture, or authorise the manufacture of, patented life-saving medicines and supply them to needy patients on a non-commercial basis.”
telegraphindia.com
“Because of the Modi government’s anti-people policies, patients across the country face a growing burden of expensive medicines. But the Prime Minister, like Nero, is busy playing his own tune.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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