Why are Indian oncologists turning to Chinese cancer medicines?

For Vijay Patil, a cancer specialist at Mumbai’s PD Hinduja Hospital, it was another painful day. A 72-year-old patient from Dahanu, a city suburb, had come to him with advanced small-cell lung cancer. The standard drug marketed by a multinational company was beyond the patient’s reach, putting Patil in an awkward situation. However, there was an alternative. He prescribed a newly approved, lower-cost alternative immunotherapy that was developed in China and sold in India through a local partnership.
“Administered alongside chemotherapy, it delivered a strong clinical response within four cycles,” says an elated Patil. “The patient has since transitioned to maintenance immunotherapy and remains stable,” he adds, highlighting how affordable innovation can improve cancer care outcomes in India.