Modern Cancer Drugs Beyond Reach Of Common People Worldwide, Study Finds

Research by Tata Memorial Centre highlights high cost of immunotherapy drugs and calls for wider access to affordable treatment options

Modern cancer medicines are still beyond the reach of common people in many countries, including India, according to a recent study conducted by the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) in collaboration with ACTREC. The research found that new-generation cancer treatments, especially immunotherapy drugs, remain extremely expensive for most families.

The study, published in the international journal Head and Neck, examined the affordability of modern cancer therapies across several countries including India, the United States and the United Kingdom.

Study Finds Immunotherapy Highly Expensive

Researchers compared the cost of commonly used immunotherapy drugs such as pembrolizumab and nivolumab, which are widely used in the treatment of head and neck cancers and can significantly extend patients’ lives.

In India, the study found that six months of treatment with pembrolizumab can cost nearly 80 times the average monthly income, while treatment with nivolumab can cost around 20 times the monthly income. Similar affordability challenges were observed in neighbouring countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh, and even in developed nations like the US and the UK.

According to the researchers, although these medicines offer advanced treatment options, their extremely high cost makes them inaccessible to most patients.

Cheaper Therapies Can Treat More Patients

The study pointed out that targeted therapies, which are relatively cheaper than immunotherapy, could help treat more patients with limited resources.

Researchers noted that for the cost of treating one patient with pembrolizumab in India, 18 to 22 patients could receive low-cost targeted therapy. While targeted treatments may not always be as effective as immunotherapy, they can still provide benefits and reach a larger number of patients.

Need For Policy Changes And Wider Access

The researchers stressed the need to regulate the use of expensive drugs based on strong scientific evidence and ensure that they are prescribed to patients who are most likely to benefit from them. They also called for increased research into cost-effective treatment options in the Indian healthcare system.

Expanding the use of high-quality generic and biosimilar medicines, along with stronger regulatory oversight and safety monitoring, could help reduce treatment costs, the study suggested.

Prevention And Early Detection Remain Key

Experts involved in the study also highlighted that many cancer patients in India still pay for treatment out of their own pockets, which can push families into financial distress.

Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, co-author of the study and Director of ACTREC, said that prevention, early diagnosis and easier access to treatment remain the most effective ways to reduce cancer deaths.

“Many patients have to pay for their cancer treatment themselves. The huge cost can push the patient and the family into poverty. Prevention, early diagnosis and easy access to treatment are the only effective tools to reduce mortality,” he said.

Researchers concluded that without major reforms in drug pricing and wider availability of affordable therapies, advanced cancer treatments will remain out of reach for the majority of patients.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes and should not be considered medical advice.