MITTAL: Cancer drugs to be available at much cheaper rates now

Chandigarh, March 15, 2013: After the state wide cancer survey, Government of Punjab, Department of Health and Family Welfare has taken up another challenge on the directions of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal of providing cancer drugs at cheap rates by devising a new methodology.

This was stated here today by Madan Mohan Mittal, Health and Family Welfare Minister, Punjab. Giving further information in this regard, he said that the list of anti-cancer drugs has been got prepared from the experts and finalized by a committee.

Mittal told that tenders for all drugs were floated among manufacturers of good standing and rate contracts finalized such that the drugs would be available at around 10 per cent of the printed price e.g. Drug named Geftinib with print price of Rs.3,303 would be available at Rs.346.50, while another drug Filgrastm can be availed at a cost of Rs.198 against a print price of Rs.2,300 similarly another medicine named Docetaxil at Rs.898 against a price of Rs.13.440 and so on.

Vini Mahajan, Principal Secretary, Health and Medical Education said that the step has been taken so as to provide best utilisation of the Chief Minister’s Cancer Rahat Kosh. The sanctioned amount of up to Rs.1.5 lakh in each case would now get the patient much better treatment because of huge reduction in the cost of drugs. The reduction is such that in case of Hydroxy urea the retail price is Rs.1,200 while it, would be available at Rs.19. The Empanelled institutions under the CM’s Cancer Relief Fund would have to procure the drug at this rate and use for the patient with effect from April 1, 2013. She further said that display boards would be made mandatory for the empanelled hospitals, who would be allowed a margin of 6 per cent to cover their costs.

Hussan Lal, MD, PHSC informed that all Jan Aushadhi Stores in the state are also being directed to display the rate lists of cancer treatment drugs, so that patients can source their requirement from these stores also. The rate contracts concluded so far cover 72 anti–cancer drugs. The matter has been taken up with TMC, Mumbai, an institution of the Department of Atomic Energy, GOI, to provide remaining drugs from the same source & rate as for TMC’s patients. Director TMC has assured Chief Minister of their support in this regard.