PANAJI
The State government will soon introduce a pricing policy for Innovative Life-saving Therapies (PPILT) making Goa the first State in India to do it, Health Minister Vishwajit Rane has said.
The policy will aim to make next-generation treatments for rare and complex diseases affordable and accessible to Goans, he added.
The policy will have the government and innovators enter into confidential, outcome-linked pricing agreements to bring therapies which otherwise would cost up to Rs 50 lakh a year for cancer, genetic disorders, and autoimmune diseases, much cheaper and within reach of the State's public health budget, Rane said.
Rane made the announcement at a Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on AI in lung cancer detection.
Meanwhile, the State's State’s collaboration with Qure.ai and AstraZeneca has led to identifying 1,000 individuals with a potential risk of lung cancer with over 70,000 Goans screened including chest X-rays taken in 18 government hospitals and health centres.
Later, Rane took to micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter) and said: "Goa will become the first State in India to implement the Pricing Policy for Innovative Lifesaving Therapies (PPILT), making next-generation treatments for rare and complex diseases affordable and accessible to our 15 lakh people."
Rane also said in the post that the advanced treatments will be made available at the Goa Medical College and hospital to ensure equitable access through the public health system.
