Lok Sabha Question No. 1137 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-22
Subject: Cancer Treatment
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Sukhbir Singh Jaunapuria, Sanjay Seth

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1137 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 nd July, 2022

## CANCER TREATMENT

## 1137.  SHRI SUKHBIR SINGH JAUNAPURIA: SHRI SANJAY SETH:

Will the MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has taken any concrete steps to enable the Central PSUs to manufacture cancer treatment drugs and if so, the details thereof;

(b)  the  details  of  the  prices  of  such  drugs  manufactured  by  the  PSUs  in  comparison  to  the  private pharma companies;

(c) whether the Government has taken any steps to provide affordable treatment of cancer keeping in view the high cost of its treatment; if so, the details of the steps taken so far;

(d)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  make  thefacility  of  chemotherapy  easily  available  in Governmenthospitals so as to make it affordable and accessible topoor and needy patients, if so, the details thereof; and

(e)  whether  there  is  any  plan  to  set  up  any  newresearch  institute  or  hospital  in  view  of  the increasingnumber of cancer patients in the country, if so, thedetails thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

(a) to (e):None of the pharma PSUs are manufacturing any drugs for the treatment of cancer.

Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) regulates safety, efficacy and quality of the drugs, medical devices and cosmetics under the provisions of Drugs & Cosmetic Act, 1940 & Rules, 1945 made there under. The Government of India has notified the New Drugs and Clinical Trial Rules, 2019  for regulation of clinical trials, bioavailability and bioequivalence (BA/BE) study of new drugs and  investigational  new  drugs  for  human  use,  which  contains  various  provisions  for  improving transparency and accountability of the approval process and to promote research and development of new drugs including anticancer drugs in the country.

Patients  with  non-communicable  diseases  including  cancer  are  getting  treatment  at  various  health facilities  in  the  health  care  delivery  system  including  Districts  Hospitals,  Medical  Colleges,  Central Institutes like AIIMS and private sector hospitals. The treatment in Government Hospitals is either free or highly subsidized for the poor and needy.

The Department of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, provides technical and financial support  to  the  States/UTs  under  the  National  Programme  for  Prevention  and  Control  of  Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) as part of National Health Mission (NHM), based  on  the  proposals  received  from  the  States/UTs  and  subject  to  the  resource  envelope.  The programme focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, health promotion & awareness generation for prevention, early diagnosis, management and referral to an appropriate level of healthcare facility for treatment of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Under NPCDCS, 266 District Day Care Centres has been set up to ensure continuum of chemotherapy of patients already put on treatment.

The Central Government implements Tertiary Care Cancer Facilities Schemein order to enhance the facilities  for  tertiary  care  of  cancer.  19  State  Cancer  Institutes  (SCIs)  and  20  Tertiary  Care  Cancer Centres (TCCCs) have been approved under the said scheme.Seven of these SCIs/TCCCs have been completed.

There  is  also  focus  on  Oncology  in  its  various  aspects  in  case  of  new  AIIMS  and  many  upgraded institutions under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojna (PMSSY). Setting up of National Cancer Institute at Jhajjar (Haryana) and second campus of Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata are also steps in this direction. All these enhance the capacity for treatment of cancer in the country.

Treatment of Cancers is also available under Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY).  Besides,  quality  generic  medicines  are  made  available  at  affordable  prices  to  all,  under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP) in collaboration with the State Governments. Affordable Medicines and Reliable Implants for Treatment (AMRIT) Pharmacy stores have been set up in some hospitals/institutions, with an objective to make available Cancer drugs at a substantial  discount  vis-à-vis  the  Maximum  Retail  Price.  Under  the  umbrella  scheme  of  Rashtrya Arogya Nidhi (RAN), financial assistance is provided to families living below threshold poverty line for their treatment, including treatment of Cancer in Government hospitals.

The  Department  of  Atomic  Energy  has  established  cancer  centres  in  Kharghar,  Varanasi  (two), Guwahati, Sangrur, Visakhapatnam, New Chandigarh and Muzaffarpur. The Tata Memorial Hospital in  Mumbai is  also  expanding  its  capacity  with  a  new  building  at  the  Haffkine  campus  close  to  the existinghospital.