As per the Indian Council of Medical Research and National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research, 2.5 million people live with cancer in India, and every year, at least over 7 lakh cancer patients are registered. The data also shows that India has lodged around 5,56,400 cancer-related deaths.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare cited ICMR data and noted that 100 our of 1 lakh people are diagnosed with cancer. The National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) under ICMR has been tracking cancer incidence and burden since 1982 and it has played an essential role in enabling evidence-based policy decision. This has made cancer care more accessible in India, as the policies now focus more on cancer centers, availing cancer care, financial aid, and more.

Cancer Care In India

In fact, the Union Budget for 2025-26 is Rs.99,858.56 crore, with Rs. 95,957.87 crore designated for the Department of Health and Family Welfare and Rs. 3,900.69 crore for the Department of Health Research. The Union Budget also has taken key initiatives like day care cancer center, and custom duty exemptions for 36 lifesaving drugs and medicines essential for treating cancer. Six lifesaving medicines have given concessional customs duty of 5%.

Robust Infrastructure That Extends Cancer Care

As per the Indian Journal of Medical Research's 2024 study by ICMR, India has a robust indigenous pharmaceutical industry that produces cancer and other drugs at some of the lowest costs in the world. There is also a large network of private-sector healthcare facilities that range from low-cost to modern corporate facilities.

India has also welcomed digital health and artificial-intelligence (AI)-based solutions in cancer care, especially in the domain of cancer care and control, which has represented a promising advance.

India's First Homegrown CAR T-Cell Therapy

CAR T-cell therapy is a personalized form of immunotherapy that genetically modifies a patient's T-cell, a type of immune cell, in a laboratory to recognize and kill specific cancer cell.

In October 2023, notes the National Cancer Institute, US, India's counterpart to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization, made NexCAR19 India's first approved CAR-T cell therapy.

The approval was based on the results of two small clinical trials conducted in India and was funded by ImmunoACT, a spin-off company of IIT Bombay.

What More India Is Doing In Making Cancer Care Accessible

India is gradually stepping ahead by combining innovation and accessibility to advance cancer care in India. In an attempt to better understand how India is taking a step ahead in cancer care, the upcoming Times Now Health Summit is hosting a session on 'Advancing Cancer Care in India: Bridging Innovation and Accessibility'. The session will feature experts from the field, including oncologists, entrepreneur, and those who have painstakingly worked to make cancer care more accessible.

The panel will feature Anchal Sharma, Social Entrepreneur Founder Canheal, Dinesh G, Therapy Area Head/Business Unit Head - Oncology, Novartis, Dr. Shyam Aggarwal, Chairperson Oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, and Dr. Shyam Aggarwal, Chairperson Oncology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

For more details, visit TIMES NETWORK INDIA HEALTH SUMMIT 2025.

The so-called “mystery virus” behind lingering sore throats, blocked noses filled with mucus, and days of exhaustion is actually well known to doctors. According to Eric Sachinwalla, medical director of infection prevention and control at Jefferson Health, the culprit is adenovirus.

What makes this virus particularly difficult to control is how tough it is. Adenovirus can survive soap and water, withstand many everyday disinfectants, and linger on contaminated surfaces for long stretches of time. Below is what experts know so far about this fast-spreading infection.

What Is Adenovirus?

Adenovirus refers to a group of common viruses that usually trigger cold- or flu-like illness. It spreads easily because it is far more resilient than many other viruses. Ordinary soap, water, and standard disinfectants do not reliably destroy it, allowing it to persist in the environment. As a result, infections often cluster in places where people spend time close together, such as daycares and military barracks. The virus spreads through the respiratory tract, can be shed in stool, and can survive for some time on contaminated surfaces, according to the CDC.

Adenovirus: What Are The Symptoms Of Adenovirus?

“Adenovirus is a typical virus that causes common cold or flu-like symptoms,” says Dr Deborah Lee at Dr Fox Online Pharmacy. That does not mean adenovirus is the same as a cold. Instead, adenovirus is one of many germs that can cause cold-like illness. A simple way to think about it is that a “cold” describes the symptoms, while adenovirus is one specific virus that can lead to them.

Symptoms can vary depending on the subtype involved. While there are more than 100 known subtypes, only 49 infect humans. Dr Lee notes that people may experience any of the following:

• Fever
• Runny nose
• Sore throat
• Swollen cervical lymph nodes in the neck
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Conjunctivitis
• Ear pain
• Diarrhoea
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain
• Urinary tract infection

Adenovirus? Is It Contagious?

“Adenovirus infection is highly contagious,” Dr Lee explains. “It spreads by breathing in infected droplets, by touching the virus and then rubbing the eyes, or through the faecal-oral route, often due to poor hand hygiene after using the toilet.”

She adds that the virus spreads quickly in crowded settings where people are in close contact. To eliminate adenovirus from surfaces, Dr Lee recommends stronger cleaning agents such as bleach-based solutions or hydrogen peroxide. “The virus is resistant to soap and many commonly used cleaners,” she says.

To reduce the risk of catching adenovirus or other respiratory infections currently circulating, Dr Lee advises staying away from people who are unwell. She also suggests the following precautions:

• Avoid touching your face and nose
• Use a clean tissue to blow your nose and dispose of it immediately
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water, then dry them thoroughly, especially after using the toilet or changing nappies
• Clean children’s toys regularly
• Disinfect worktops, changing areas, toilets, and bathrooms
• Avoid sharing cups, plates, food, or towels
• Wear a mask if you need to go out while unwell
• Keep windows open and ensure rooms and workspaces are well ventilated.

Dozens of norovirus outbreaks have been recorded nationwide over the past few weeks, and as people deal with intense vomiting, diarrhea, and other uncomfortable or even risky symptoms, a common question keeps coming up: why is there still no vaccine for such a widespread infection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says norovirus cases are increasing toward the end of 2025, with higher activity reported in both the US and the UK. Health officials note that a new, highly infectious strain known as GII.17 is partly driving this rise. Because many people have little or no immunity to it, outbreaks are being seen more often in schools and shared public spaces. While overall case numbers remain within typical seasonal ranges, recent weeks have shown a clear upward trend.

What Is Norovirus?

Norovirus is an extremely contagious virus that leads to gastroenteritis. It commonly causes symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and stomach cramps, and may also bring fever and body aches. It is often referred to as the ‘stomach flu,’ though it has no connection to influenza.

The virus spreads quickly through contaminated food or water, shared surfaces, or direct contact with an infected person’s vomit or stool. Crowded settings like cruise ships are especially vulnerable. Most people recover within one to three days with rest and enough fluids, according to the CDC.

Norovirus Symptoms 2025

Norovirus usually comes on suddenly, causing vomiting, watery diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain. Fever, headaches, and body aches are also common. Symptoms typically appear 12 to 48 hours after exposure and last for one to three days. Because it spreads so easily, infections can move fast through families and communities.

While most cases improve on their own, dehydration is a concern, so warning signs such as intense thirst or reduced urination should not be ignored, as noted by the Cleveland Clinic.

Do We Have A Norovirus Vaccine?

At present, there is no widely available vaccine for norovirus. That said, research has made meaningful strides. Experimental oral vaccines have shown encouraging results in clinical studies, suggesting they may offer protection against multiple fast-changing strains and help reduce how much virus an infected person sheds. Scientists are hopeful that an effective, broadly protective vaccine may become available in the coming years, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Why Don’t We Have a Norovirus Vaccine Yet?

Developing a vaccine for norovirus has proven especially difficult, largely because of how quickly the virus changes. “It really is evolving extremely rapidly, and that’s a big problem,” Patricia Foster, PhD, professor emerita of biology at Indiana University Bloomington, told Health.

Norovirus also exists in dozens of subtypes, with several dominant strains circulating at any given time. This is why people can catch norovirus more than once in their lives. Even if immunity develops against one strain, either after infection or through vaccination, another strain can still cause illness. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About norovirus.

Norovirus: Multiple Vaccines Are In The Works

Despite these obstacles, vaccine research is moving forward. Progress has accelerated in part because of newer technologies developed over the past decade. In 2016, Mary Estes, PhD, a researcher at Baylor College of Medicine, and her team found a way to grow norovirus outside the human body. This breakthrough made it possible to test vaccine approaches and treatments more effectively. This step was crucial because common lab animals like mice do not typically get sick from human norovirus.

Today, scientists are testing several experimental vaccines. One example is a 2023 vaccine developed at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis that combines protection against norovirus with an existing rotavirus vaccine. Several pharmaceutical companies are also developing candidates, many of which are now in clinical trials, said Amesh Adalja, MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, in comments to *Health*.

HilleVax, a Boston-based company, has been testing a norovirus vaccine originally developed by Japan’s Takeda. However, that candidate did not succeed in a phase II trial in June 2024. Meanwhile, a tablet-style norovirus vaccine from San Francisco-based Vaxart has completed phase I testing. Among the most promising efforts is Moderna’s vaccine, which is currently being tested in human volunteers.

Preventing Norovirus, Even Without a Vaccine

Norovirus spreads so easily that stopping it once someone falls ill can be very challenging. This is linked to the virus’s structure. Norovirus is a nonenveloped virus, similar to polio and other stomach-related infections. Because of this, neither hand sanitizers nor soap and water actually destroy the virus, Foster explained. “Handwashing helps because you’re physically rinsing the virus away,” she said.

As a result, basic hygiene practices, especially thorough handwashing, remain some of the most effective ways to lower risk, said Ming Tan, PhD, an infectious disease researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, speaking to *Health*.

If norovirus does strike, treatment options are limited. Staying hydrated is essential to avoid complications from fluid loss. Some people may also use medicines to control nausea or diarrhea, either over the counter or by prescription, such as Zofran. If severe symptoms develop, including confusion, high fever, or intense abdominal pain, medical care should be sought right away.

Could air pollution be making you grumpy? We know of the harmful impact of air pollution on our health, including various organs and functioning of our body, but can Delhi's worsening AQI impact how we feel?

There has been emerging evidence that point towards the impact of toxic air on psychological wellbeing and brain health. Polluted air can worsen anxiety, depression, heighten stress, and impair cognitive functions. It has raised fresh concerns with regards to air pollution.

In fact, speaking to HT, Dr Astik Joshi, who is Child and Adolescent and Forensic Psychiatrist at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, said that worsening air conditions could make us more irritable, lower mood, and lead to depressive symptoms. “Toxic haze from long-term exposure to polluted air, specifically smaller airborne particles found in fine particulate matter such as PM2.5, is known to not only penetrate the blood and cross the blood-brain barrier; but when they reach the brain, they activate inflammatory responses and create oxidative stress, thereby disrupting the normal functioning of the brain," he tells HT.

When polluted air reaches brain, it reduces the levels of oxygen and could even lead to brain inflammation. This can impact in learning and memory areas of brain, and could lead to 'brain fog'.

What Do The Studies Say On Air Pollution And Mood?

A study published in Nature Communication notes that after four hours of exposure to particulate matter, it was found that people's ability to perform routine tasks and interpret emotions were highly impacted.

Study's co-author, Dr Thomas Faherty said, "Study provides compelling evidence that even short-term exposure to particulate matter can have immediate negative effects on brain functions essential for daily activities.”

Among all the cognitive abilities examined, two showed the clearest impact: selective attention and emotion recognition. People exposed to particulate matter air pollution experienced declines in both, regardless of how the polluted air entered their bodies.

Read: British Man Compares Breathing In Delhi To Smoking 18 Cigarettes

Selective attention is central to decision-making and staying goal-focused, while emotion recognition helps us read social cues and respond appropriately to others. When these functions are affected, everyday tasks can suffer. The study illustrates this through something as routine as grocery shopping: reduced selective attention can make it harder to stick to a list, increasing the likelihood of impulse purchases.

The implications stretch far beyond errands. Even brief exposure during a commute or a short walk could temporarily dull cognitive performance. A drop in attention can affect productivity, while impaired emotion recognition may make collaboration, meetings, and everyday workplace interactions far more challenging.

However, contrary to what Dr Joshi said, the study noted that no decline in working memory was seen. This means that some brain functions were quite resilient and are able to avoid the inflammation caused by pollution. However, more research is required to come to this conclusion, as in the study, the PM exposure was controlled and done by a candle smoke.

A 2002 study titled Air Pollution and Brain Damage, noted that long term exposure to air pollution could lead to cognitive disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis.