Wrong math

IN Media Watch Briefs | 03/04/2013

A reader writes: In Face The Nation (CNN-IBN) on April 2-"Should Cancer drugs be cheaply available?", Mr. Kewal Handa of Medybiz opposed the SC ruling. He suggested the Government subsidize these drugs instead of the pharma companies. His math: there are 30 lakh patients. If the cost per patient is 10 lakh rupees then the total cost is Rs 300 crores. This is very small compared to the food and fertilizer subsidies. He repeated this twice. The math is wrong. 30 lakh x 10 lakh rupees is Rs 3 lakh crore. None from the panel pointed this out.

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