# Cancer Drugs Cost Millions in India

> India's cancer patients face bankruptcy from exorbitant drug prices despite life-saving treatments.
- Title: Cancer Drugs Cost Millions in India · The Economic Times
- Summary: India's cancer patients face bankruptcy from exorbitant drug prices despite life-saving treatments. Millions of Indian cancer patients cannot afford…
- Keywords: cancer drugs, exorbitant prices, india, healthcare, supreme court, patient assistance, drug pricing, Cancer, Drugs, Cost, Millions, The Economic Times
- Source: The Economic Times — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/the-burden-of-cancer-drugs-millions-battle-exorbitant-prices-as-life-saving-treatment-slips-out-of-reach/articleshow/135023322.cms
- Author: Rica Bhattacharyya and Vikas Dandekar
- Published: 2026-10-18T03:48:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: cancer drugs, exorbitant prices, india, healthcare, supreme court, patient assistance, drug pricing
## Surekha Panicker's Struggle
A 65-year-old retired professional from Kerala faced stage-2 breast cancer with no family or savings.

> My husband died two decades ago. I have no kids or close relatives.
## Treatment Costs
Roche’s Phesgo immunotherapy costs Rs 5 lakh for the first dose and over Rs 2 lakh for subsequent doses.
## Financial Breakdown
Panicker paid over Rs 35 lakh for treatment, surgery, and hospital charges after two cycles.
## Supreme Court Criticism
The Supreme Court called drug markups 'broad daylight dacoity' after retailers buy medicines for Rs 2,700 and sell for Rs 27,000.
## Patient Bankruptcy Risk
Oncologists warn patients are 'only a prescription away from bankruptcy' without fair pricing mechanisms.
## Government Cap Proposal
The government proposed a 30% trade margin cap on non-scheduled cancer drugs, potentially saving patients Rs 2,500 crore annually.
## Jan Aushadhi Price Gap
A 50 mg vial of doxorubicin costs Rs 250 at Jan Aushadhi but Rs 1,230 in other shops, a 390% increase.
## Hospital Profitability
Hospitals argue they include administration, storage, and training costs in drug bills, with 8-9% net profit margins.
## Patented Drug Problem
Patented cancer drugs cost Rs 1.5-2 lakh per vial, with markups that don't respond to 30% trade margin caps.
## Production Cost Debate
Experts say drug prices should be based on production costs rather than inflated market prices to ensure affordability.
## Regulatory Gaps
Scheduled medicines cover only 17% of the pharmaceutical market, leaving 83% outside direct price regulation.
## Insurance Push
Insurance companies demand standardized hospital pricing and treatment protocols for affordable healthcare.
## Patient Assistance Shortfall
MNC patient assistance programs are insufficient to cover the high base prices and hospital markups for cancer drugs.
## What Happens Next
Patients like Panicker need affordable treatments soon, but the Supreme Court’s debate on pricing may take time to resolve.
## Key takeaway

Millions of Indian cancer patients cannot afford life-saving treatments due to exorbitant drug prices that exceed their savings.