Guwahati, Sept. 26 -- The Supreme Court questioned a 10-fold difference between the price of an essential cancer medicine sold to retailers and the amount charged to consumers, asking authorities why such a disparity had been allowed to continue.

A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta was hearing petitions seeking regulation of drug prices, medical equipment and generic medicines to make essential treatment more affordable.

During the hearing, the bench referred to a cancer drug that manufacturers reportedly sell to retailers for around Rs2,700 but is subsequently sold in the market for Rs27,000.

The judges expressed strong concern over the impact of such price differences on patients, particularly those who struggle...