Supreme Court takes suomotu action on cancer drug access

The Supreme Court of India intervened on July 17, 2026, to address judicial delays affecting access to affordable cancer drugs, taking up a case on its own motion after a related petition remained unresolved in the Kerala High Court for over four years. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, registered the suo motu case and issued a notice to the Union government seeking its response.

The court also requested the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court to ensure the expeditious disposal of the long-pending writ petition. Chief Justice Kant noted that the matter had been adjourned multiple times, having been listed for final hearing 57 times since January 2023 without a decision. He stated that the court was initially reluctant to intervene but ultimately acted because the case was not being decided, underscoring the need for High Courts to prioritize sensitive matters concerning life and liberty.

The case originated from a 2022 petition filed by a breast cancer patient in Kerala seeking a government use license for the patented drug Ribociclib, a critical breast cancer treatment. The petitioner argued the drug's exorbitant...