Cancer drugs, being the top focus for research and development, corner the lion’s share of medicines launched globally, yet only a handful make it to developing countries like India.
Only seven oncology drugs were introduced in India over five years (2010-2014), when nearly 50 breakthrough therapies were rolled out globally.
The disparity in availability of oncology therapies becomes even more stark over a 10-year period (2006-2016), with not even one-third of the 270-odd onco-molecules being available in India, a country with over 10 million cancer patients, data culled by TOI from QuintilesIMS, a technology-driven healthcare service provider shows.
So, even as the oncology landscape is rapidly evolving with scientific advances in treatment options, many patients are being left untreated, with most health systems struggling to adapt to the change.
In India, oncology treatment typically run into lakhs, particularly with certain lung, prostrate and breast cancer drugs priced over a lakh per dose in certain cases.
Please click here to read more.