Supreme Court Weighs Cancer's Legal Status as Notifiable Disease in India

A PIL filed by Dr. Anurag Srivastava urges the Supreme Court to declare cancer a notifiable disease in India for better reporting and care. The plea highlights inconsistencies in data, fragmented reporting, and advocates for a unified digital registry to improve early detection and treatment outcomes.

The Supreme Court has called for responses from the Centre and Indian states following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by a notable medical professional. The petition, submitted by Dr. Anurag Srivastava, seeks to classify cancer as a 'notifiable disease' across India, emphasizing the need for early detection and comprehensive care of patients.

Dr. Srivastava highlights the dangers of the current legal gap where some states report cancer cases while others do not, affecting the quality and consistency of national cancer data. Such disparities have delayed diagnosis and treatment, exacerbating health outcomes for patients.

The plea advocates for the establishment of a centralized, real-time cancer registry system, akin to the CoWIN platform, to streamline reporting and coordinate health efforts effectively. Additionally, it seeks government intervention to regulate misleading alternative treatments, urging that only scientifically validated therapies be allowed in India.

(With inputs from agencies.)