Clinical trials on cancer are extremely important for India as there are a number of cancer patients who have apparently exhausted all available drugs and treatment procedures in the country, stated Dr. Gunjan Bhardwaj, founder and CEO, Innoplexus.
There are also a sizeable number of patients who have undergone multiple surgeries and have such complications that make them inoperable. Here human studies with novel cancer drugs are a great hope for them as successful trials can not only prolong their lives but, also benefit others in the times to come, he added.
In India, cancer trials were not popular in the past due to lack of regulatory provisions and oversight. Instances were reported where lack of ethical practices and adverse outcomes were observed. In the absence of a regulated and transparent clinical trials system such as in western countries, the Supreme Court of India had put strong restrictions on cancer trials. However, in a country where cancer is the second biggest cause of mortalities among non-communicable diseases, clinical trials are much wanted, Dr Bhardwaj told Pharmabiz.
The dreaded disease, cancer accounts for about 9% of all fatalities in India which makes it the second biggest killer after heart diseases. The disease prevalence is slightly higher among Indian women compared to men as per the data available for the year 2020. On average, 1 in 9 Indians is expected to suffer from some type of cancer during his/her lifetime. Among the males, lung cancer which is 1 in 68 males, and among the females, breast cancer: 1 in 29 are the two most prevalent forms of cancer.
Originally published in Pharmabiz. Read the full article here.