India, Nov. 1 -- image credit- shutterstock

The affordability of medicines in India has come under renewed scrutiny after the Supreme Court (SC) questioned the wide gap between procurement prices and maximum retail prices (MRPs) of medicines and medical devices, urging the Centre to consider broader price regulation. The government has capped trade margins at 30 per cent on 137 non-scheduled anti-cancer medicines, with revised prices scheduled to take effect from November 9, 2026. The measure is expected to reduce MRPs by up to 70 per cent and generate annual savings of Rs 2,500 crore for patients. However, the court has questioned why similar controls should not extend to other medicines and medical devices, including through considerat...