Jaipur, Aug 19 — The Rajasthan government has taken a significant step towards strengthening access to advanced cancer treatment by including CAR-T Cell Therapy in the approved medical packages under the Rajasthan Government Health Scheme (RGHS).
The decision, taken under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, will benefit state government employees, pensioners and their eligible dependent family members, said officials on Wednesday.
The inclusion of this advanced cancer therapy is aimed at providing beneficiaries with access to specialised treatment for certain serious and life-threatening blood cancers.
CM Sharma said the health and safety of government employees and their families remain a top priority of the state government. He said the inclusion of CAR-T Cell Therapy in RGHS packages would strengthen health security for beneficiaries requiring advanced cancer treatment. CAR-T Cell Therapy is a highly specialised form of cancer immunotherapy that uses a patient's own immune system to fight cancer.
Under the treatment, T-cells are collected from the patient's blood and genetically modified in a laboratory to recognise specific proteins on cancer cells. The modified cells are then multiplied and infused back into the patient's body, where they target and destroy the cancer cells.
The therapy is primarily used for certain types of blood cancers, particularly in cases where the disease has returned after conventional treatment or has not responded adequately to other therapies. Advanced facilities for CAR-T Cell Therapy are also available at Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur.
Beneficiaries seeking CAR-T Cell Therapy have to follow the applicable RGHS provisions and the oncology guidelines issued by the Rajasthan government on June 6. Since CAR-T Cell Therapy is a highly specialised treatment, pre-authorisation would be mandatory before admission to an empanelled hospital. The treatment will be approved after evaluation and recommendation by the expert team at SMS Hospital or an empanelled cancer hospital.
The therapy is not suitable for every cancer patient. Eligibility and treatment decisions will therefore be based on the patient's medical condition, diagnosis and the recommendation of the specialised medical team. RGHS beneficiaries will be able to access treatment according to the applicable package rates and scheme provisions.
Allopathic treatment packages under RGHS are generally aligned with Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) standards.
The inclusion of CAR-T Cell Therapy is likely to provide significant financial and healthcare support to eligible government employees, pensioners and their dependent families requiring advanced cancer treatment.
The state government's decision is aimed at expanding access to modern medical technologies within the RGHS framework and strengthening Rajasthan's healthcare infrastructure for patients requiring specialised and high-end cancer care, said officials.