India's fight against cancer guided by scientific rigour, inclusive healthcare delivery: Nadda

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Tuesday said India's fight against cancer will be guided by scientific rigour, compassionate care and inclusive healthcare delivery, ensuring that no patient is left behind.

Releasing the 'Lung Cancer Treatment and Palliation: Evidence-Based Guidelines' on the eve of World Cancer Day, he highlighted that early detection remains one of the biggest challenges in lung cancer management.

The minister stressed the need to strengthen preventive and screening strategies, particularly among high-risk populations.

He reiterated the government's firm commitment to expanding research, innovation and scientific collaboration to improve early diagnosis, treatment outcomes and long-term survivorship.

Highlighting the significance of evidence-based policymaking, Nadda stated that India must not merely replicate international models but lead with indigenous and context-specific solutions.

Developed by leading experts and stakeholders in oncology, the guideline document seeks to strengthen clinical decision-making, promote best practices, and reduce variations in treatment outcomes.

He underlined that these guidelines reflect India's leadership in developing its own evidence-based frameworks, suited to the country's healthcare realities, disease burden, and resource settings, rather than relying solely on Western clinical protocols.

The minister further noted that evidence-based guidelines enhance the validity, credibility, and authenticity of clinical decision-making, ensuring consistent, high-quality, and patient-centric care across public and private healthcare systems.

Congratulating the Department of Health Research (DHR), Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), and partner institutions, Nadda lauded their collaborative efforts in developing India's first nationally developed evidence-based cancer guideline.

The guidelines would play a critical role in standardising clinical practices, strengthening decision-making, and ensuring high-quality, patient-centric cancer care across the country, Nadda said.

The guidelines comprise 15 evidence-based recommendations addressing both treatment and palliative care for lung cancer.

Developed using internationally accepted methodologies, including systematic evidence synthesis and contextualisation to the Indian healthcare setting, the guidelines aim to standardise clinical practices in public and private sectors, strengthen early diagnosis and treatment pathways, and enhance palliative care services. PTI PLB NSD NSD