BPOM Accelerates Cancer Drug Certification

TheIndonesia.co - The Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) has announced a significant reduction in the certification process for innovative cancer drugs, slashing the timeline from 300 working days to just 90 days.

According to Antara News Agency, this move is part of the government's broader strategy to improve cancer treatment accessibility and affordability.

BPOM Head Taruna Ikrar emphasized that cancer medications fall under the category of innovative products. He noted that by speeding up the certification process and fostering domestic production of raw materials, the cost of these life-saving drugs would decrease. Additionally, BPOM plans to impose a retail price ceiling to prevent price manipulation in the market.

Ikrar acknowledged that the high costs associated with cancer research, development, and clinical trials remain a challenge, but the faster certification process is expected to help alleviate some of these financial burdens.

The Indonesian government has also introduced the 2024–2034 National Cancer Plan, focusing on four priority cancer types: cervical, breast, lung, and colorectal cancer. The plan aims to enhance services and access to treatment across the health sector, including the pharmaceutical industry, medical supply sector, and the general public.

Siti Nadia Tarmizi, Director of Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention and Control at the Ministry of Health, stressed that the availability of affordable, domestically produced drugs and medical devices is crucial for improving cancer care. Despite ongoing challenges, the availability of affordable cancer treatments remains a significant barrier to better healthcare services.

Tarmizi highlighted the alarming statistics surrounding cancer in Indonesia, with approximately 408,661 new cases and 242,988 deaths reported annually. Cancer continues to be a major health crisis, with a survival rate still alarmingly low. For adults, the mortality rate is 70%, while childhood cancer survival rates are even more disheartening, with 70-80% of cases leading to death, often due to late-stage diagnosis.

This push for faster drug certification and more accessible cancer treatments is an important step in improving outcomes for cancer patients in Indonesia.