Lok Sabha Question No. 404 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-12
Subject: Affordable Cancer Care
Ministry: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, Shrirang Appa Barne, ANANDRAO  ADSUL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.404 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12/12/2018

## Affordable Cancer Care

## 404.      SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

Will the Minister of SCIENCE ANDTECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) whether cancer is a global epidemic that requires radically new approaches through inter-disciplinary and multi-national efforts, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government had signed any MoU  for  the partnership between Department  of  Biotechnology  and  Cancer  Research,  UK  for  the  India-UK  Cancer Research Initiative for Affordable treatment of  Cancer;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether India-UK Cancer Research Initiative will provide a cataloging platform for scientists and researchers in UK and India to co-create solutions for affordable cancer care that improve cancer treatment outcomes around the globe;
- (e) if so, whether India-UK Cancer Research Initiative provides an opportunity to tackle the global epidemic of cancer by opening new pathways for international knowledge exchange and research base;
- (f) if so, the details thereof; and
- (g) the amount of investment proposed by both the countries in this initiative?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY AND EARTH SCIENCES (Dr. Harsh Vardhan)

(a) Yes,  Madam  Cancer  is  a  global  epidemic  with  approximately  seven  lakhs  cancer patients being registered every year in India alone and it is estimated that worldwide cancer incidence  will  rise  by  63%  by  2040.  It  requires  new  approaches  to  solving  complex challenges through inter-disciplinary  and  multi-national  efforts.  Many  efforts  both  globally and  nationally  are  being  undertaken  by  various  agencies  across  the  world  and  in  India  to tackle the global epidemic of cancer.

(b) Yes, the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science &  Technology, Government of India has signed an MoU with Cancer Research UK under the wide-ranging theme of 'affordable approaches to cancer'.

(c) Under this agreement the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Cancer Research UK  (CRUK)  have  agreed  to  work  together  to  design,  deliver  and  fund  a  5-year,  bilateral cancer research initiative under the wide-ranging theme of 'affordable approaches to cancer'. The broad aim of this initiative is to support high quality research and deliver innovative and translatable  outputs that accelerate progress against cancer outcomes in both countries, and which also have the potential to have major global impact.

The India-UK Cancer Research Initiative will provide a catalysing platform for scientists and researchers in the India and UK to co-create solutions for affordable cancer care that improve cancer outcomes around the globe.

(d), (e) and (f) Yes, this Initiative will build on the respective strengths of India and the  UK in biomedical  research and innovation.  In  order  to  establish  new  bilateral  research partnerships  to  address  agreed  cancer  research  priorities,  DBT  and  CRUK  will  provide collaborative awards  to Indian  and UK  researchers on the priorities identified.  The partnership  hopes  to  bring  together  interdisciplinary  approach  for  developing  affordable solutions to cancer treatment.

The  broad  aim  is  to  support  high  quality  research  and  deliver  innovative  and  translatable outputs  that  accelerate  progress  against  cancer  outcomes  in  both  countries,  and  which  also have  the  potential  to  have  major  global  impact.  The  initiative  will  leverage  scientific opportunity  in  the  UK  and  India  including:  clinical  research,  population  research  and  the engineering and physical science.

(g). Over 5 years, the total research funding for the Initiative shall be ten million pounds (approximately ₹ 90  crores).  Both  CRUK  and  DBT  will  match  funding  with  an  equal contribution of five million pounds (approximately ₹ 45 crores) each.

*****