Painful paperwork, Rs 10 lakh upfront: India’s cancer patients locked out of best-selling drug
Indian Express·15h ago·Fear
What Happened
Cancer patients in India struggle to access Keytruda, a blockbuster immunotherapy drug, despite a patient assistance program. Patients must pay Rs 10 lakh upfront to qualify for the Kiran Patient Access Programme. Additional barriers include complex paperwork, document verification delays, and caregiver requirements. The drug costs over Rs 3 lakh per infusion without assistance. Keytruda is the world's best-selling drug with USD 29.5 billion in 2024 sales.
Key Entities
KeytrudaPembrolizumabMerck & Co (MSD)Kiran Patient Access ProgrammeAIIMS DelhiIndian ExpressInternational Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)