Goa govt expands AI-powered lung cancer screening with Qure.ai & AstraZeneca, launches pricing policy for lifesaving therapies

New Delhi: In a progressive step toward making advanced, high-cost medical treatments more accessible, the Government of Goa is set to implement Pricing Policy for Innovative Lifesaving Therapies (PPILT).

The policy aims to ensure fair and sustainable pricing for critical healthcare needs including medical devices, diagnostics, medicines etc, making them more affordable and within reach for all patients, especially those battling rare or complex diseases.

The policy was announced at the CME event organised on the topic: AI’s use in diagnosing Lung Cancer Early in Goa.

Goa will be the first state in India to adopt this policy framework, which enables confidential and outcome-linked pricing agreements between the government and pharmaceutical innovators. The rollout will begin with lung cancer treatment. This progressive approach allows the state to procure advanced therapies at significantly reduced costs, enabling many more patients to benefit from the existing public healthcare budget.

“Innovative therapies for diseases like cancer, rare genetic disorders, and autoimmune conditions can cost upwards of INR 50 lakhs per year, placing them difficult for patients especially from underserved communities. Goa’s adoption of this pricing policy is vital and a timely step to advance health equity in the state.  A value-based approach to pricing will improve access for patients and marks a new era focusing on helping more and more patients”, said Vishwajit Rane, Health Minister of Goa.

Since 2024, artificial intelligence has been embedded into Goa’s public healthcare system across 18 government hospitals and health centres, delivering measurable results at scale. Through Qure.ai’s qXR AI solution, more than 70,000 chest X-rays have been screened, detecting over 6,000 pulmonary nodules and flagging more than 500 individuals with high risk for lung cancer. This early detection has already led to confirmed lung cancer diagnoses and timely treatment, saving lives and reducing costs. The programme, led by the Government of Goa in partnership with Qure.ai and AstraZeneca, is a working example of how public and private sectors can combine technology and expertise to create systemic change and inform future health policy.

Commenting on the partnership, Prashant Warier, CEO and Founder of Qure.ai said, “The integration of AI into Goa’s public health network shows that digital transformation can start with AI as the foundation, rather than waiting for complete infrastructure. By screening over 70,000 chest X-rays in government facilities, we have proven that advanced technology can work effectively in public health systems and deliver measurable outcomes. Goa’s new pricing policy addresses the next critical step by ensuring that, once diseases are detected early, patients can access advanced therapies without prohibitive costs. This three-way partnership has created a first-of-its-kind model in which pharma innovation, coupled with technology, has made an end-to-end lung cancer patient screening and monitoring pathway possible. It has the potential to serve as a blueprint for health systems around the world.”

By establishing a new age pricing framework, it encourages both global and Indian pharma organisation to introduce novel treatments in the state sustainable, backed by a predictable and collaborative procurement pathway. Proposed by Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), an independent body representing research based global pharmaceutical companies in India, this critical policy is expected to strengthen Goa’s preparedness for future health challenges and ensure long-term resilience by integrating affordability, innovation, and public health priorities.