@ Vikash Sharma | Sr Journalist
At AbbVie India led roundtable, experts call for integrated diagnostic pathways and public insurance coverage for Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the capital
Delhi;27th May 2025 – In India’s capital, Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML)—a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer is emerging as an urgent yet inadequately addressed health concern. At an AML awareness session organized by AbbVie India today, leading oncologists from across Delhi gathered to discuss the city’s critical gaps in timely diagnosis and treatment. Often presenting with vague, non-specific symptoms, AML progresses rapidly and can become life-threatening without early intervention. While global advances in diagnostics and targeted therapies have improved outcomes elsewhere, India continues to struggle with limited awareness, restricted access, and high treatment costs. With the number of cases steadily increasing, experts stressed the urgent need to classify AML as a national health priority to prevent avoidable deaths.
“We lose critical time because AML is detected late in our country often masquerades as fatigue or infection. By the time the right tests are done, the disease has often progressed to a stage where treatment options are limited or less effective. Acute leukamia can be detected by simple blood test. However, the treatment of AML is carried out at tertiary centres and the cost of supportive treatment is high. said, Dr. Ranjit Sahoo, D.M. (Medical Oncology) Professor (Additional) at All India Institute of Medical Sciences
“Public hospitals in Delhi lack standardized diagnostic workflows for AML. We need dedicated pathways from symptom recognition to cancer genetic testing to improve early diagnosis and access to targeted therapies. Despite having a concentration of top hospitals, Delhi lacks a cohesive care model for AML. Patient outcomes vary drastically depending on the facility visited, insurance coverage, and early referral to tertiary care centres., said Dr Dharma Chaudhary, Vice Chairman – Haemato Oncology & BMT, BLK Super Speciality Hospital
Delhi sees almost 3000 AML cases annually, with a growing trend in diagnoses among individuals in their 30s and 40s. Yet, of those diagnosed, only 30% patients receive definitive treatment, primarily due to high costs and a lack of insurance coverage.
Advances in AML Treatment: A Hopeful Shift
Traditional chemotherapy, the mainstay of AML treatment, has often been poorly tolerated, especially in older patients. However, the emergence of targeted therapies—which act on specific genetic mutations driving the disease—has dramatically improved remission rates, reduced toxicity, and enhanced quality of life for patients globally.
India, however, has yet to fully benefit from these advancements. Access to molecular and genetic testing remains largely confined to private urban centers. Targeted drugs are often unaffordable, as they are not included in public health schemes or the National Cancer Drug Registry.
Policy Imperatives: A Roadmap for Transforming AML Care in India
To address the unmet needs in AML diagnosis and treatment, stakeholders are urging the Indian healthcare system to adopt a multi-pronged strategy:
Recognize AML as a Public Health Priority: Integrate AML into the national cancer control strategy to enable focused funding, epidemiological tracking, and research prioritization.
Expand Access to Diagnostics: Establish infrastructure for molecular and genetic testing at government and tertiary care hospitals. Promote public-private partnerships to train diagnostic personnel and scale up access.
List AML-Therapies in the National Cancer Drug Registry: Ensure regulatory inclusion of new therapies and adopt pricing mechanisms like subsidies or government procurement to reduce costs.
Reform Insurance and Reimbursement: Include AML-targeted therapies in Ayushman Bharat and private insurance schemes to ease out-of-pocket expenditure for patients.
Launch a National Awareness and Screening Program: Drive public education on early AML symptoms through national campaigns and equip general practitioners with tools for early detection.
Integrate AML into National Health Data Systems: Link AML cases to digital health records and cancer registries for real-time tracking and better health planning.
Support Clinical Research and Trials: Provide regulatory and financial incentives for India-focused AML research to enable locally viable treatment protocols and innovations.
As the burden of AML continues to rise, India must act decisively to improve patient outcomes. Strategic policy changes, enhanced awareness, and equitable access to innovation can turn the tide against this often-fatal disease.
