Govt slashes prices of cancer treatment drug

The decision has a direct bearing on the patients of this region since incidences of hepatitis B and C,which also leads to liver cancer,are significantly high.

Indian Controller-General of Patents,Designs and Trade Marks granted the first-ever ‘compulsory licence’ in India to the Hyderabad-based Natco,a generic drug-maker,for making sorafenib tosylate,which is used to treat kidney and liver cancer. In fact the government has invoked an international trade rule allowing the generic production of an unaffordable drug that is patented.

Experts in the city dubbed the step as a ray of hope for cancer patients and are hoping that prices of a few other expensive life-saving drugs will also be brought down for the benefits of the patients.

At PGIMER,about 10-12 new cases of liver cancer come up every month besides patients who are follow-up cases and have already undergone treatment.

Dr R K Dhiman,professor in the Department of Hepatology,said,“Liver cancer has three stages: the early,intermediate and the advanced stage. These drugs are given to the patients who are in the advanced stage of cancer. Patients suffering from hepatitis B or C also run the risk of developing liver cancer. So the decision to bring down the prices is a step in the right direction.”

The drug is used for the treatment at the advanced stages of kidney and liver cancer. The drug stops the growth of new blood vessels and targets other important cellular growth factors. In the case of kidney cancer,it can extend the life of a patient by one to three years,while in the case of liver cancer it can extend life by about six to eight months.

Dr Santosh Kumar,assistant professor at the Advanced Urology Centre,PGIMER,said “These drugs are given to kidney cancer patients suffering from renal cell carcinoma metastases,and the most common type of kidney cancer in adults,responsible for approximately 80 per cent of cases. It is relatively resistant to radiation therapy and chemotherapy and thus the patients have to be given these drugs.”

“At PGIMER,cases of kidney and bladder cancer are substantially high,about 15-25 cases are seen every month and most of these patients are in the age group of 35-50,” added Dr Santosh.

“It is definitely a ray of hope for thousands of patients. These drugs are not wonder drugs but they can definitely add months to the life of a patient,” said Dr Priyadarshi Ranjan,consultant in the Department of Urology at Fortis Hospital,Mohali,who treats 2-3 cases of kidney cancer every month.

Dr Subbarao V Kanchustambam,head of department of Centre of Liver Transplant and Heptabillary Sciences welcoming the move said,“In all liver cancer patients,even those who suffer from it due to Hepatitis B and C,removal of tumour or liver transplant is not always possible. In those cases,patient have to be put on these drugs for many months”.