Non Introduction of New Oncology Medicines- Anupriya Patel

Fifteen anticancer drugs have been approved by the Central Licensing Authority i.e. the Drugs Controller General (India) for import/manufacture and marketing in the country during the period 2010-2014.

Central Government supplements the efforts of the State Government for improving healthcare including prevention, diagnosis and treatment of Cancer. The objectives of National Programme for prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases and Stroke (NPCDCS) being implemented under National Health Mission (NHM) for interventions upto district level including awareness generation for Cancer prevention, screening, early detection and referral to an appropriate level institution for treatment. The treatment of Cancer in many of State and Centre Government institutions is free for BPL patients and subsidized for others.

As and when an application for grant of permission for import/ manufacture and marketing of any new drug, including anticancer drugs, is received, it is evaluated in consultation with the Subject Expert Committees (SECs) and permission is granted in accordance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 and the applicable guidelines based on the recommendations of the Committee.

Provisions are available under the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 to grant permission to import/manufacture for marketing of new drugs, including certain types of anticancer drugs without local clinical trial under certain conditions in order to make such drugs available early in the country in public interest.

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Smt Anupriya Patel stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha.