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Cancer Drugs Out of Reach for Most Indians
5 Mar
Summary
- Immunotherapy drugs for head and neck cancer are unaffordable for most patients.
- A six-month cancer treatment course can cost over eight years of average Indian income.
- Cheaper targeted therapies could treat multiple patients for the cost of one immunotherapy dose.
Modern cancer medicines, especially immunotherapy drugs for head and neck cancer, are prohibitively expensive for the majority of patients in India and globally, according to a study by Tata Memorial Centre and ACTREC. These life-extending treatments, like pembrolizumab and nivolumab, cost a significant multiple of average incomes, even in developed nations.
In India, a six-month course of pembrolizumab can exceed 80 times the average monthly income, while nivolumab is more than 20 times that amount. These costs are not covered by government health schemes, and out-of-pocket expenses can lead to financial ruin for families. Prevention, early detection, and accessible treatment remain crucial.
Researchers suggest that lower-cost targeted therapies could treat many more patients for the price of one immunotherapy dose. To improve affordability, experts call for central price negotiations, inflation caps, faster generic and biosimilar approvals, and judicious use of costly drugs. As patents for key drugs expire this year, biosimilar versions offer hope for reduced costs.
