In a landmark move for public healthcare, the Government of Goa has partnered with Qure.ai and AstraZeneca to introduce an advanced AI-driven lung cancer screening program, alongside the country's first-ever value-based pricing policy for lifesaving therapies (PPILT). The initiative combines early detection with affordable treatment to establish an end-to-end, equitable cancer care pathway.
AI Screening: A Leap in Early Detection
Since 2024, Qure.ai’s deep-learning tool qXR has been deployed across 18 government hospitals and health centres in Goa. The AI system has processed over 70,000 chest X-rays, identifying more than 6,000 pulmonary nodules and flagging upwards of 500 high-risk individuals for further evaluation. This has already resulted in timely diagnoses of early-stage lung cancer, enabling prompt treatment and improving patient outcomes.
Value-Based Therapy: Innovating Treatment Access
Parallel to the screening drive, Goa’s Introduction of the Pricing Policy for Innovative Lifesaving Therapies (PPILT) marks a first in India. The policy allows the state to strike confidential, outcome-linked agreements with pharmaceutical firms, ensuring that advanced treatments—including high-cost cancer drugs—are priced according to real-world effectiveness and patient outcomes.
Health Minister Vishwajit Rane said: “This value-based approach marks a new era in healthcare: we’re making innovative therapies affordable—and tying value to results ensures more patients benefit.” His statement reflects a growing push toward equitable, results-driven public health interventions.
Unified Approach for Better Care
The combined impact of AI-enabled screening and flexible pricing creates a seamless patient journey—from risk identification to treatment affordability—within Goa’s public healthcare ecosystem. Industry experts believe this model can serve as a blueprint for other states, especially as India grapples with rising cancer incidence and budget constraints.
“Goa’s model shows how technology and policy can work together,” said Kiran Shah, a health policy analyst. “AI brings speed to detection, and value-based pricing brings usability to therapy.”
A National Template in the Making
The initiative underscores a shift from supply-driven healthcare to outcome-oriented care. For patients, it means quicker access to advanced diagnostics and treatments regardless of personal finances. For government budgets, it offers predictability and better allocation.
Prashant Warier, CEO of Qure.ai, added: “Qure.ai has demonstrated that AI can power public health systems affordably. When you build diagnostics and pricing with purpose, you get scalable impact.”
What Comes Next
Goa plans to monitor key indicators such as screening uptake, diagnostic yield, and therapy accessibility. Depending on outcomes, the state may expand similar frameworks to other conditions or scale value-based models to regional healthcare systems.
Policymakers are also closely watching Goa for lessons in balancing innovation with equity. As early-stage results become available, the initiative may guide future regulatory frameworks around health tech and price controls in India.