:Mumbai, March 2, 2026

Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) and Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) have published a significant international study in the journal Head & Neck, highlighting that many modern cancer medicines, particularly immunotherapies, are prohibitively expensive for most people worldwide, including in India.

The study titled “Disparity in the Markers of Affordability Across Targeted- and Immune-Therapy Drugs Used in Head and Neck Cancers,” compared prices of modern cancer drugs across seven countries, including India, the US, and the UK. It found immunotherapy drugs like pembrolizumab and nivolumab to be extremely costly everywhere, rendering them unaffordable for the majority of families.

Head and neck cancers, prevalent in India due to tobacco use, areca nut (supari), and alcohol consumption, often lead to late diagnoses. Most patients rely on personal savings for treatment. While these newer drugs offer survival benefits for some, their limited efficacy does not justify the high costs, the study notes.

Key findings include:

• In India, six months of pembrolizumab costs nearly 80 times the average monthly income, while nivolumab exceeds 20 times.
• Similar unaffordability prevails in Pakistan and Bangladesh.
• Even in the US and UK, these drugs impose significant financial burdens.
• Funds for one pembrolizumab patient in India could treat 18-22 patients with lower-cost targeted therapies.

Dr. Arjun Singh, lead author from Tata Memorial Centre, stated:
“Immunotherapy is not just expensive — it is completely out of reach for most families. In India, a 6-month course of treatment can cost more than several years of income. The problem is not medical progress, but drug prices that are far too high compared to the actual benefit intended.”

Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, senior author and Director at ACTREC, added:
“When most people pay for treatment from their own pocket, such high costs can push families into poverty. Prevention, early detection, and adequate and accessible treatment remain the most important ways to reduce deaths from head and neck cancer. Expensive drugs alone cannot solve the problem.”

The researchers urge judicious use of expensive drugs based on strong evidence, prioritizing patients most likely to benefit. They call for research into cost-effective, context-specific treatments, promotion of high-quality generics and biosimilars with rigorous quality checks, and regulatory oversight.

These findings gain relevance amid India's expansion of health coverage via Ayushman Bharat, investments in cancer infrastructure, and removal of customs duties on several cancer medicines. However, deeper pricing reforms are essential, including stronger negotiations, better insurance, and emphasis on prevention through tobacco, areca nut, and alcohol control, alongside early screening.

The full study is available in Head & Neck (2026).

PIB Mumbai | Sriyanka Chatterjee/Robin Singh/Priti Malandkar

 

Follow us on social media: @PIBMumbai    /PIBMumbai    /pibmumbai  pibmumbai[at]gmail[dot]com

 

(Release ID: 2234606) Visitor Counter : 208