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Activists Urge End to Ribociclib Hearing Delay
11 Jul
Summary
- Court case for life-saving breast cancer drug pending since June 2022.
- Ribociclib costs over ₹78,000 per month, unaffordable for many.
- Government denied license for cheaper generic version citing no urgency.
Access to the vital breast cancer medicine Ribociclib is stalled due to prolonged delays in a Kerala High Court hearing. Patient advocates have appealed to the Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, urging an end to the delay since the case's inception in June 2022. The writ petition has been listed 57 times without a final hearing since January 21, 2023.
The Working Group on Access to Medicines and Treatment, a network of advocates and experts, is spearheading the plea. Despite the original petitioner's passing, the court continued the case suo motu due to public interest. This is critical as breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer deaths among women, with India reporting nearly 98,337 deaths in 2022.
Ribociclib, essential for Luminal A breast cancer patients, costs approximately ₹78,468.75 per month, placing it out of reach for many. A petition filed in June 2022 sought a Government Use License to enable local production of a cheaper generic version. However, the government refused, citing that breast cancer did not constitute a matter of national urgency.
The case now stands posted for July 15, 2026, with all pleadings completed. Activists argue that delays in adjudicating access to essential medicines violate patients' fundamental right to health under Article 21 of the Constitution and undermine India's international public health obligations.
