Substantial cancer drugs beyond ambit of current price control mechanisms: Parliamentary panel
New Delhi, Aug 21 (PTI) A Parliamentary panel has flagged that a substantial segment of cancer drugs are still beyond the ambit of current price control mechanisms and recommended measures to include the widest possible range of cancer drugs by expanding the scope of the Drugs Prices Control Order.
In its 163rd report presented on Wednesday, the Committee on Petitions, Rajya Sabha, headed by Narain Dass Gupta stressed that regular and comprehensive market assessments should be instituted to monitor prevailing drug prices and availability trends.
Though significant steps have been taken in recent years towards strengthening the regulatory framework for governing the pricing of cancer drugs and promote affordability, a substantial segment of such drugs still remain beyond the ambit of current price control mechanisms, it said.
The Committee noted that with the notification of NLEM, 2022, the number of anti-cancer medicines under price control has increased from 40 (in 2011) to 63 (in 2022). However, a significant number of oncology medications are not included under the Drugs (Prices Control) Order, 2013, and thus are not subject to any statutory price ceiling.
“This regulatory non-inclusion has led to excessive and often unaffordable pricing, thereby limiting access for a large section of the patient population,” it stated. Furthermore, the government may consider establishing a robust, institutionalised oversight mechanism to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of the regulatory regime and identify systemic gaps.
“Implementation of these measures will significantly alleviate the financial burden on cancer patients and their families,” the panel underlined.
The Committee also recommended that the quality of generic medicines available in the country should be monitored and sustained as many medical professionals are hesitant to prescribe these as they are not certified under the WHO-GMP.
The panel also noted that while provisions exist for accelerated access to new cancer drugs, regulatory delays, insufficient domestic research and development, and pricing constraints limit timely and equitable access.
It recommended that domestic research infrastructure should be enhanced, value-based approvals prioritised, regulatory pathways should be streamlined, and measures be taken to support indigenous development of novel oncology therapies.
The Committee also recommended that the government must encourage research in the private sector and pharmaceutical companies should be encouraged to invest in high level research in oncology.
There seems to be a lack of synergy between the private sector medical institutions and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare regarding the procedures for approval of clinical trials in the country, it noted and stressed on collaboration between the two so that the maximum outcomes can be gained for the larger benefit of patients.
The Committee also advocated for the expedited deployment of field-ready technologies such as Magna-visualisers and the nationwide scaling up of gallbladder cancer risk mapping, particularly in underserved and high-risk regions.
